An Island In The Sun
by drotuno
Summary: Edward and Bella were friends in high school, but found love just before he went away to college. They haven't seen each other in 6 years. Will the lie she told him change everything when he finds out? Has years of struggle made a change in Bella? AH M
1. Chapter 1

**A/N…This is my first attempt at an AH/AU story. I'm from Florida, so it's based here. **

**Quick run down…Edward and Bella were friends in high school, but found love just before he went away to college. They haven't seen each other in 6 years. Will the lie she told him change everything when he finds out? Has years of struggle made a change in Bella? **

**This is rated M…for lemons and language and drug use…I don't own these characters, but you know that…**

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CHAPTER 1

EPOV

"You're going, Edward," Alice snapped, picking up my clothes from the floor. "You won't win this, so don't even try." She tossed my things into an open suitcase.

"Ali, please," I whined, sitting on the end of the bed, my pounding head resting in my hands.

A bottle of aspirin landed in my lap. "Edward, you're my brother…and I love you, but you aren't doing this anymore," she said, standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. "So what if Lauren cheated?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at my growl. "It's not like you were Mr. Innocent…does _Ashley _ring a bell?" She asked, tapping her tiny foot. "Lauren treated you like an accessory, she was a bitch. Good riddance," she said, turning around and throwing more stuff around my room.

"Serves you right, losing your job," she continued, walking into my bathroom and scooping up my toothbrush and cologne. "What the hell were you thinking, sleeping with your boss' daughter?"

"I know," I sighed, giving in to her. She was right, about all of it. "What have I done, Ali?" I groaned, lying back down on the bed.

She sighed, coming back in the room and sitting next to me, running her fingers through my hair. "You screwed up, that's it. We've all made mistakes, but you lost sight of what's important in life, Edward." She was quiet for a moment. "You've been in this apartment for weeks, you barely eat, and your drinking is starting to scare me. Please come with me, Edward. You have to go."

I couldn't say no to her, I never have been able to. She was my best friend, my sister, my twin and she was so right. "Fine, Ali," I said, sighing and sitting back up with a groan.

She took the aspirin from me and opened the bottle, shaking a few into my hand.

"Here," she said, handing me a bottle of water before rising from the bed. "I'll make you some coffee."

I sat there wishing the aspirin would take effect immediately, thinking about how I screwed up everything. I had graduated from NIU with honors in Marketing and Design. I worked my way up through Jensen and Mallory for two solid years. As soon as I thought I was comfortable, I was taken in by Lauren Mallory. She was hot, unintelligent and swore she wouldn't tell her father. We even moved in together, her dad eventually finding out. When I came home early one day, I caught her with a guy from the mail room on my couch. Bitch. When Mr. Mallory found out I tossed his daughter out on her sweet ass, he let me go immediately.

Alice was also right, I wasn't innocent in our relationship. Ashley was a secretary for the fourth floor and we ran into each other at the bar up the street. One thing always leads to another when alcohol is involved. I'm an idiot.

"Here, Edward," Alice said, bringing me a steaming mug. "Cream and sugar."

"Thanks," I said, wrapping my hands around its warmth. "Where are we going?"

"Florida," she said, smirking. "You're staying the whole summer with me."

"Whatever," I sighed, "I guess I have the time now. How are they?"

"Jasper is fine…he says he misses me," she smiled. "Emmett's dating a girl, Rose, I think…says she's the one." I snorted, remembering the Emmett I knew. "Bella is, well, Bella…" She stopped, looking at me.

"What does that mean?" I asked, closing my eyes to the pounding in my brain and sipping more coffee.

"Bella's busy, she stays that way," she said, getting back up to finish packing for me. "She teaches now, during the year. And on her breaks, she helps the boys with the inn." She snickered, "They hate the summer, she makes them clean the place from top to bottom, repainting and everything before the first guest gets there." I smiled, thinking she's still the same old Bella…she can get her brothers to do anything. "Last I heard, she was dating a guy named James, but Jasper and Emmett hate him."

"Of course they do," I snorted. "They've watched her like a hawk ever since they moved in with her and Charlie."

"Not close enough," Alice mumbled, rolling her eyes at me.

Charlie Swan was the Chief of Police in Forks, Washington, where we all grew up. He was divorced, raising Bella on his own.

He was called to the house of a home invasion and the scene was a mess. Emmett McCarty and his half brother Jasper Whitlock had come home to their parents murdered and no place to go. Emmett was eleven and Jasper was ten.

Charlie took them in temporarily at first, but it ended up a permanent situation due to Charlie's big heart. Ten year old Bella Swan found herself with two brothers who grew to love her fiercely. From middle school and on, Alice and I were inseparable from them. We were always together.

When we graduated, we all went our separate ways. Alice and I were both accepted to NIU, Emmett and Jasper moved to Seattle to work for a construction company. Bella was left behind and heartbroken about it.

Bella eventually went to Florida to be with her mom, ending up at her grandmother's. Renee was not exactly a prime candidate for Mother of the Year. She had a host of problems and tried to drag her daughter along with her. Bella having no patience for any of it, stayed with her grandmother, eventually inheriting a large home on Anna Maria Island after her death.

Bella called her brothers and they joined her, turning the home into a fairly successful inn. They have all lived together since.

All of this I have learned through Alice. I've thought about her every day, but it's just too painful to contact her. Somehow, Jasper and my sister have maintained a long distance relationship this whole time without complaint. Alice was in school for some time, for fashion. She wanted to be a buyer. She was just now finishing up her internship with a company and was now free to come and go.

"Did you say she was teaching?" I asked, looking at her rummage through my underwear drawer.

"Yup, her grandmother paid for school," she said, looking at me. "Em and Jazz take care of the place most of the time. She comes in on the weekends and holidays, staying the summer."

"When do we leave?" I asked, looking at my hands. My brain was a little more awake.

"As soon as you are packed," she said, zipping up one of my bags. "I added you onto my flight and Bella's saving you a room." I looked up at her. "She was shocked you were coming, calling you the 'Elusive Edward Cullen.' I think she's a little upset with you." She snorted and turned away.

I rolled my eyes, but I knew if Bella was upset with me, then there was a good reason for it. There was no telling what it could be.

The summer before I left for college, I begged her to come with me and Alice. We had plenty of money and room, but Bella wouldn't hear of it. She was well aware that Charlie couldn't afford it. I had fallen hard for her that summer, but she broke up with me. She was still the most beautiful girl I had ever met, no one I have met since could compare to her.

After I left, I made no effort to keep in touch with hardly anyone, especially Bella. I only heard about her through Alice and her contact with Jasper. Alice and Bella continued to be friends, seeing each other when Alice would join Jasper on holidays.

"I was busy, Alice," I whined, getting up and starting to help her pack.

"Don't tell me," she snapped, taking things from my hands. "You can explain to them why you weren't there when Charlie died," she growled, glaring at me.

"Oh, God," I groaned, leaning against my dresser, "I forgot about Charlie." I watched her flit through my room like a fairy.

"Of course you did!" She glared at me. "You forgot about a lot of things. Your girlfriends' character traits are starting to rub off on you…Lauren's shallowness, Jane's vanity, Tanya's drinking…" She stacked more stuff in my second bag and turned around to me. "Karma's a bitch, Edward," she pointed at me. "It's time to take a step back and reassess your life. You used to be sweet and kind and a gentleman, when did you lose that shit?" I didn't have an answer for her.

"But, you are still my brother, that will never change. You used to laugh and have friends…you used to care about people!" She must have been holding this in for some time. She was really letting me have it. "You have really changed and I don't like it. I want my brother back and if I have to drown you in the Gulf of Mexico to get him, I will!"

"You need to find love, real love, your other half," she said, folding her arms across her chest.

"Aw, Alice, don't give me that true love bullshit! It doesn't exist," I rolled my eyes. "You watch too many movies."

"The hell it doesn't," she huffed, "Look at Jasper and I, we found it. You had it and you pushed it away."

"Not this again," I groaned, "Fuck, Alice. How many times do I have to tell you? Bella broke up with me _that _summer."

"So you think," she said knowingly.

"Whatever," I sighed, waving her off. "You weren't there. She told me to go, that she didn't want me." I stripped my shirt off and headed towards the bathroom.

"I don't know, Edward, I think she needs us," she said, tilting her head, her voice was sad. "Jasper says she works too hard, plays less and that she just isn't the same…" She looked up at me and I could see worry in her eyes. They had been the best of friends and still talked just about daily, but they hadn't seen each other in months. "Go shower, Edward, you stink!" she groaned.

I laughed, shaking my head at her pinching her nose and waving her hand.

BPOV

"Bells?" Jasper called, coming into my office. "Em and I are taking your truck for the supply run. You need anything?"

I shook my head no. "Ali called. Sorry, I thought you were gone already," I sighed, staring at my pen making endless circles on my desk pad.

"What's wrong? What did she say?" Jasper sat down in the chair in front of my desk. No one could read my mood like he could. "She's still coming, right?"

"What? Oh, yeah, her flight is at two o'clock," I said, waving him off. "She called to reserve another room…Edward's coming with her."

"No!" Jasper gasped, his mouth hanging open. "Oh, baby girl, are you ok with this?"

"Yeah, we're all grownups now, right?" I snorted, "I mean it was like six years ago, we were eighteen for God's sakes," I shrugged, feigning indifference, knowing it wouldn't work on him.

"Yeah, but…" Jasper worried.

"Jazz, it's fine…I'll be fine. We were flirty with each other, there wasn't anything more," I lied to him.

"You keep telling yourself that, Bells, maybe one day you'll believe it," he said, standing, "but, I know what happened that summer," he raised an eyebrow at me. "I talk to Alice too, remember?" He asked, snickering at my scowl. "We'll be back in a few, ok?" I nodded as he kissed the top of my head.

I was fucking kidding myself and I knew it. At one time, Edward meant more to me than the air I breathed, but no one knew about it. I was good at hiding it, good covering up our flirtatious behavior. He never knew I meant every touch and that just the sound of his voice would start my heart pounding.

It all changed the summer before he and Alice were supposed to go away to college…

"_Come on, Edward," I slurred, "give me one more!" He laughed as I launched myself across his body, trying to reach the beer on his nightstand. He smelled divine…like beer, soap, tobacco and another delicious scent that was purely Edward._

"_I think you're done," he snickered, wrestling me back against the headboard. We were in his room. Jasper and Alice were off alone together as always. "Jasper's gonna kick my ass if he finds out I got you drunk."_

_I folded my arms across my chest, pouting. "Jasper!" I scoffed. "Between you, him and Emmett, I've never had one decent date in high school. I was a leper. Wasn't it bad enough my dad was the chief of police? You three had to go and make it worse by chasing every guy off." We had all been friends since the seventh grade and all three of them made it their life's mission to protect me from anyone they didn't like._

"_None of those guys were good enough, Bella," he growled. "Mike's a twisted fuck and Tyler practically date raped every cheerleader on the squad. We couldn't let you get hurt…you were too good for them." He ran his hand through his ever messy hair nervously._

"_Just give me another beer, Edward," I said, fighting tears. "Now, that we're all done with school, you're all leaving me…just let me have this. Jasper's moving to Seattle with Em to work for that construction company. And now you and Ali are going to Chicago. What's difference is a beer gonna make?"_

_His head snapped up at the emotion in my voice. "Come with us," he said, picking up my hand._

"_You know Charlie can't afford to send me to college and I can't leave him by himself," I sighed, turning my head away from him. It was killing me, the thought of them all leaving me, especially Edward. He may not have felt the same way about me as I did him, but I would have taken whatever he would have given me…he was still a good friend. And Alice, my best friend, she was going too…I didn't know what I was going to do when they all left me._

"_So? My parents will take care of you," he said, "you can live with us." That's not the answer I was looking for. I didn't want to be charity for them. I felt that way around them most of the time as it was._

"_I can't and you know it, it's not right," I sniffled, shaking my head. I looked back up at him. His face was sad as he looked down at my hand._

"_What are you going to do?" He asked, tracing the lines of my palm._

"_What? Now that we've graduated and you and my brothers are leaving me a virgin social outcast and my best friend and stylist is going with you?" I asked, snickering._

_His face shot up into my favorite crooked grin, my heart breaking just looking at him. "Yeah," he laughed._

"_Get a job, I guess," I shrugged._

"_And your virginity?" He laughed nervously._

"_Shut it, ass!" I said, smacking his shoulder. "Now that I'll be alone, maybe I can actually date!"_

"_Don't you dare give it to just any random guy, Bella!" He snapped, his emerald eyes darkening. "You're better than that!"_

"_Give me a damn beer and drop it," I said, rolling my eyes. "No one wants it anyway," I laughed._

"_I do," he whispered, looking back at me. _

_I gasped, "No, you don't. You're just drunk." My heart was pounding at the way he was looking at me. We played around a lot, flirting and wrestling, but I was sure none of it meant anything on his side. He had tons of girls following him around. But, he was pushing the boundaries at this point. "You're saying things you don't mean," I breathed, starting to get up._

"_Bella, please, wait," he begged, holding my hand to keep me on the bed. "I'm sorry. I know we fuck around a lot, but I just didn't know if…"_

_I stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to finish, but he didn't. "If what? If I meant any of it?" I asked, wondering if I was just about to make the biggest mistake of my life. He nodded, looking up at me. Throwing all caution to the wind, ignoring the screaming warning in my head that this was going to hurt, I said, "Every word."_

_Before I could blink, he pulled me to him, both of his hands on each side of my face. His eyes were staring into mine, his lips just centimeters away. "Please, Bella," he whispered. Knowing this wasn't going to turn out well, that my heart would shatter when it was over, I couldn't say no. I had loved him far too long, wanted him for as long as I could remember. I nodded, closing my eyes at my own stupidity._

_When his lips met mine, it was like a current of electricity surged through us. With a gasp, we melted together. His hand wove into my hair, turning my head to deepen the kiss. We moaned when our tongues met, my body instinctively pressing to his._

_He was still leaning against his headboard, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He pulled me closer and I climbed into his lap, straddling his thighs. His other hand was ghosting from my waist to my hip, settling on my ass. He squeezed, causing me to grind into him._

_I groaned, my mouth breaking from his. He kissed down my neck, his tongue making torturous swirls against my skin. My hands fisted in his hair as his slipped under my shirt._

_He pulled back, looking at me. "Should we stop?" His voice was pained, his eyes were full of something I had never seen before._

"_We should, but I don't want to," I said, my breathing unsteady._

"_Me either," he breathed, lifting my shirt over my head. "God, you're fucking perfect," he whispered, his hands sliding over my stomach and around to my bra clasp._

_When my breasts fell free, I gasped. My head fell back when his hands cupped me, causing me to grind into him again. I reached for the bottom of his shirt. He lifted up so I could pull it over his head, tossing it on the pillow next to us. He was flawless, perfect. He was lean, smooth skin over tight muscles. _

_He wrapped his arms around me, skin meeting skin, and we both groaned. His lips met mine, his tongue dragging across my bottom lip, begging for entrance._

_Edward rolled us, the kiss never breaking, and I found myself pinned under him. My legs instantly wrapped themselves around his waist. He ground his hips into me and I gasped, my head pressing into the bed. _

_He trailed his lips down my neck to my chest, his tongue flicking over my nipple. "Oh, God," I breathed, my back arching up off the bed. He hummed against my skin and my fingers dug into his back. "Edward, please," I begged, the friction we were creating was not enough. I was writhing underneath him._

_He sat back and I missed his weight immediately. His hands were at my jeans, his eyes asking silent permission. I nodded, lifting my hips as he pulled them off along with my underwear. "Jesus," he breathed, his eyes closing, "beautiful," he murmured._

_His face looked pained as his eyes traveled over my body. His palms were flat, ghosting over my thighs. My breathing was heavy when he hovered back over me, planting his elbow by my head. "Can I touch you?" He whispered, kissing my cheek. I nodded, closing my eyes to the feel of his tongue behind my ear. _

_Edward's fingers lightly grazed against the hair at my apex and I shivered at his touch. When his fingers swept through the wetness of my heated core, my hips raised off the bed and I buried my face in his neck. I cried out his name when he slipped a finger in, his thumb gliding slowly over my sensitive bundle. _

_He kissed me as he slipped another finger in and I gripped his hair, pulling him closer and swirling my tongue with his. His thumb made tight circles over my nub, causing a fire to burn in my stomach. "Come on, baby," he said, breaking from my mouth. There was a slight smile on his face as he pressed his thumb just right and I shattered under him. My breaths were short bursts as I clenched around his fingers. He kissed me again, laying more of his weight on me. "That's my girl," he crooned, smiling and kissing my forehead._

_I sat up, unbuttoning his jeans, shoving them over his ass. He kicked them off, reaching into his nightstand and pulling out a foil package._

"_You don't need it," I whispered, "I'm on the pill." I had been since I was fifteen. My periods were never right._

_My hand was shaking as they lightly touched him. He was big, though I didn't know exactly what I expected. I had fantasized about him so much that what we were doing almost didn't seem real. His head fell back and his body stilled when I wrapped my hand around him. "God, Bella," he breathed, looking back at me. "That feels so good, you can't possibly imagine." _

_He kissed me again, pushing me back down and pressing his weight back on me. He rested his forehead to mine, breathing heavily. "Are you sure you don't want to stop?" He asked, closing his eyes._

"_Don't stop," I breathed, wrapping my legs around him again._

"_Hold my hand, baby," he said, linking our fingers together. "It's going to hurt," I nodded, knowing he was right, but I wasn't scared. "Squeeze if you need to." _

_With his head still pressed to mine, he positioned himself at my entrance. He pushed in slowly, his beautiful mouth hanging slightly open. I squeezed his hand at the slight stretching of him filling me. I gasped when he broke me. "I'm sorry," he said, finally all the way in. "You ok?"_

_I nodded, my breathing shallow. When he moved inside of me, I forgot all the pain. He was gorgeous above me, kissing my forehead, my face. _

"_You're so beautiful," he said, kissing my neck, "I've always wanted you like this," his rhythm picking up. We were both covered in a sheen of sweat, our bodies gliding against each other._

"_Me too," I gasped, my eyes rolling back as he reached between us and circled his thumb over my sensitive nub._

_With his words, his touch, the feel of his cock filling me, a crack opened in my stomach and I shattered around him, tears welling up in my eyes. I felt Edward tense above me, his arms flexing. "Oh, God," he breathed as he came in me. He wrapped his arms around me, trying to keep his weight off of me. _

_He brushed my hair from my face, wiping a tear away with his fingers. "Are you ok, love?" He asked, rolling to the side._

"Want to talk about it?" Rose asked, breaking me from my memory. I wiped a tear away, looking out the window. "Em said you might need it."

I snorted, shaking my head. "You get to meet Alice tonight," I sighed, watching her sit down in the same chair Jasper had sat in. "And her brother, Edward."

"So, I hear," she said, keeping her eyes on me. When Emmett started dating Rosalie Hale, I thought she was the meanest woman I had ever met, but it was just a wall she put up around herself. She was sharp witted and put up with zero bullshit. She's was actually one of the closest friends I'd ever had. "I know about her…tell me about him, tell me why your brothers are worried."

"They are worried," I snorted bitterly, "because Edward was the reason I came to Florida." I told her about my love for him, my summer before he left. "I loved him, Rose, more than I can tell you, but he was going to throw his future away for me," I frowned, shaking my head. "I didn't get that opportunity, I wasn't going to let him blow his. So, I ended it…telling him thanks, but see you around."

"Killed you to do it, didn't it?" Rose asked, tilting her gorgeous blond head at me. "Lie to him, I mean."

"Like nothing I've ever felt before or since. If you could have seen his face, Rose," I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "He was so…mad and hurt, but I knew he would have hated me eventually if he stayed. I left Forks right after that, because no one else was there…nothing left but memories. I couldn't even stay with Charlie, which was my intention to begin with. That and Renee said she was stable and needed me." I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"Ha! Renee stable?"

"Right…exactly." I laughed bitterly. Renee was never stable, having had a drug and alcohol problem for as long as I could remember. It was the reason that Charlie divorced her, taking me.

"What are you going to do, Bells? I mean, can you handle this?"

"I hope so," I sighed, closing my eyes. "Jasper and Emmett think I still have feelings for him, that's why they worry. They just don't want to me to get hurt."

"Do you?"

"Probably, on some level," I paused, thinking, "I compare every man to him, still."

"Is that why James' shit is in the garbage?" She laughed.

"James' shit is in the garbage because he's a liar and a cheat!" I growled. "He was sleeping with some nineteen year old living in Sarasota."

"No fucking way! How'd you find that out?" She gasped.

"Emmett," I laughed, "he went over to his apartment to pick up my laptop and found him with this dumb bitch in his bed."

"So that's why Em's knuckles are bruised!" Rose's laughter filled the room.

I snickered, "Yes, ma'am…you've gotta love my brothers. Come on," I said, standing, "I need to get the bar ready for tonight."

My grandmother died four years ago, leaving me this huge house. It sits right on Anna Maria Island. She had lived there her entire life, having paid it off long ago.

When I had left Forks, my heart was broken over the decision I had to make. I tried to live with Renee. She was sober at the time, but it lasted all of three weeks. When her money ran out, her drugs ran out, and she hit the streets again.

I came to live with Charlie's mother. It was stable and loving, and she even put me through college. Alice had begged me to join them in Chicago at this point, but it had been so long. Edward was seeing a girl named Jane and I was dating the disaster known as Peter.

My grandmother was the best thing that ever happened in my life. When she was dying of cancer, she changed everything into my name and I got it all, including the house.

I was lost without her and the first people I called were Jasper and Emmett. They flew down immediately and took a look around. "Bells, this should be a hotel or something," Emmett noted, walking from room to room.

"Yeah, sis, a bed and breakfast," Jasper mused, tapping on the walls. "We could do it, run it."

So they did. With the years of construction experience under their belt, they redesigned the whole building, adding a bar next door. They moved in with me, running it for me when I had class during the year and conceding every decision to me. They've been with me ever since.

"Bells, we're back," Emmett called from the doorway.

"Ok, I'm setting up the bar, boys," I yelled, pouring the ice into the bin.

"Hey, babe," Emmett smiled, kissing Rose when he walked in. "Looks good, sis."

"Yeah, it's done in here," I sighed, wiping my hands on my jeans.

"Bells, besides Alice and Edward," Jasper started, "how many we got this summer?"

"Um, hang on," I opened my laptop. "Alice is staying the whole summer with Edward, I assume…There's two girls coming tomorrow for two weeks, then an older couple after that for the rest of the summer. And a young couple for a weekend."

"That's cool, almost a full house, huh?" Emmett asked, smiling.

"Yeah, seems like it…now, I need to get four rooms ready," I groaned, turning towards the stairs. "Oh, and who's bartending with me tonight?"

"I am," Emmett smiled, "since Alice is coming in…Jasper wants time off."

I smiled at my brothers, "Good, Saturday nights are heavy. Jazz, you bring her by tonight, and Edward too…Rose is dying to see him." He nodded, smiling. Rose snorted, shaking her head. "When I'm done with the rooms, I'm going to try and sleep for a few, ok?" They all nodded.

I only opened the bar on the weekends. It didn't pay to keep it open the rest of the week. My bed and breakfast was beautiful, I was very proud of it. The inn itself had six rentable rooms and three permanent…those were mine, Jasper's and Emmett's. I tried to run it like a home, treating people to breakfast every morning, a buffet on Sundays. Technically, I took Sundays off after I cooked.

It didn't take long to set up a room, laying out towels and schedules. The sheets were already clean and beds were made, having made sure that was done yesterday. I cleaned mirrors and windows, straightened pillows and chairs. I was so lost in my work that I didn't even hear anyone sneak up behind me.

"I can finish that, Bells," Angela said, snickering when I jumped.

"Shit, Ang, you scared the fuck out of me!" I gasped, holding my chest.

"Sorry, you were quite deep in thought," she smiled. Angela Weber was my part time help…one of two actually. She came in to do laundry and some cleaning when she wasn't taking college classes.

"Yeah, I guess so…" I smiled. "Ok, four rooms…two are for tonight and they are done. Two for tomorrow…they still need to be done."

"No, problem," she shrugged, taking the rag from my hands and getting to work.

I sighed, feeling cranky and nervous. I walked down to my room and collapsed on my bed, almost falling asleep instantly.

EPOV

"You'll like the island, Edward," Alice said, driving us from the Tampa airport.

"I'm sure, Ali," I sighed, staring out the window.

It was dark when we landed, so seeing anything other than lights over bridges was out. I could see black water, but not much else. My hangover had subsided, giving way to the reality of my situation. I was jobless, because I was stupid enough to fall for a girl that used me.

Lauren Mallory would take me out, showing me off. She would dress me, tell me what to order…all that was missing was the leash. I was her pet. Her cheating didn't bother me as much as the fact that she ran to Daddy about it, crying that I kicked her out, cheated on _her_. Which I did, but months prior to her and the mail room boy.

We pulled into a small parking lot in front of a huge house. Music was playing in the matching building next door. Opening the car door, the salty smell of the ocean hit my senses and I relaxed almost immediately. I looked up at the house and smiled. They had done a beautiful job on it.

"Alice," Jasper sighed in relief, meeting us at the front doors and swooping her up in his arms. "God, I missed you!"

"Me too, Jazz," she whispered, placing kisses all over his face. They truly had a special relationship.

"Eddie," Jasper smiled, "It's good to see you, man." He held his hand out and I took it, returning his smile.

"Jasper," I said, "this place is fantastic."

"It's all Bells," he smirked, shaking his head. "She runs it with an iron fist, I tell you." He laughed. "Come on, let's show you your rooms."

Between Jasper and I, we were able to carry all of Alice's luggage. He grabbed two keys from behind the desk and headed upstairs. The place had the feel of a home, not an inn. He opened the first room, saying, "Ed, this is yours, Alice is next door."

"Ok," I said, looking around. It was all palm trees and ocean prints, but tastefully done. I set my stuff down, looking out the window. It was still too dark to see anymore than the sand leading out to blackness.

"Edward, come here," Alice called, walking to her room. Her room was very similar to mine, but her tones were more blue than green.

"Ok, guys…I have to give you the run down…" Jasper explained, rolling his eyes. I chuckled at him, happy to see the friend I knew from years ago. "There's coffee, fruit and muffins every morning downstairs. Bells cooks a huge breakfast on Sundays, then takes off for the day. That's tomorrow, you don't want to miss that, it's amazing. Anyway, beach is right out the back door and you can go any time. Oh! And the bar…as you can hear, is open on the weekends only…Friday, Saturday, Sunday…Ok? And Bells wanted to see you, so we can go down when you're ready."

"She and Emmett are bartending tonight?" Alice asked, smiling.

"Yeah, she likes Saturdays…she and Emmett get loud. They like the younger crowd. We scared off the retired folk ages ago," he snorted. I must have had a look of confusion on my face, because he added, "You'll see, it's fun."

Alice looked to me and I shrugged. This was her show. I knew seeing Bella after all these years was going to be rough. I was a little nervous, but excited at the same time. Seeing Jasper brought back some old memories.

"I wanna see Bells," Alice squealed, jumping up and down.

"Ok, Ali," I chuckled, "let's go."

"Um, I want to change first. It's a beach bar, Edward," she frowned, looking me over. "You too, go change."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. Jasper snickered, "Some things never change, huh?" I shook my head no. Alice dressed us all in high school and me through college. She finally released me from her fashion clutches once I began wearing suits to work every day.

I walked in my room, closing the door. I changed quickly into a pair of khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. Donning my sneakers, I met Jasper out in the hallway. "Better," he snorted, "Welcome to Florida…there's not a dress code to be found…anywhere."

I laughed, "seriously?"

"Nope," he shook his head, "it's the most casual state I have ever seen. I think because it's so damn hot. You'll see. Tomorrow? It's supposed to be ninety five degrees with humidity of eighty five."

"Fuck," I groaned, laughing. "No wonder everyone wears shorts."

"Exactly."

Alice joined us in a little sundress, as Jasper told her she was beautiful. We went back downstairs and through the side door. We were hit with music like a brick wall.

_Saliva's "Ladies and Gentleman" _was blaring, the bar was crowded. As tall as Emmett always was, I had no problem seeing his head above everyone else. He was behind the bar, smiling and clapping his hands in the air. "Ok," he yelled, "who's doing shots?" Several arms shot up in the air, clapping and cheering. "Along the bar, all of you," he commanded. "Bells, you ready?" With his hand in hers, she emerged on top of the bar.

My breath caught in my throat. She was still just as beautiful as ever.

She was smiling as she danced from one end of the bar to the other. She was in small denim shorts and a black t-shirt that said, "Bite Me". Her mahogany hair was down to the middle of her back in soft waves, pushed away from her face with a band. Her legs were long, muscular. Her smile was infectious.

When the song's chorus came… "_Do you want it? Do you need it? Let me hear it_!" She waved to the people in front of her. Emmett flicked a bottle of liquor up to her and she caught it deftly, spinning it in her hand. Everyone at the bar held up a shot glass and she tipped the bottle over, pouring into them and walking down to the end. The patrons were soaked in booze, but cheering for more.

"She could pour gasoline on them, they wouldn't care," Jasper snickered at my ear. I laughed, believing every word of it.

The song ended and Emmett helped her down. "Come on," Jasper urged, "she said she wanted to see you two." He grabbed Alice by the hand, pushing his way through the crowd at the bar. They were breaking away, heading back to their tables. He swung her up onto a stool and Alice squealed. I sat at the next stool.

I watched Bella work the bar, filling drinks, smiling with people. They loved her.

"Bells," Jasper yelled.

"Hang on," she called back without looking up. She was scooping ice into two glasses, pouring from two different bottles and crossing her arms. Dropping the bottles back into their spots, she picked up another one, filling the two glasses completely, running down to grab something from under the bar right in front of us.

She stood up and gasped, her eyes going wide. "Edward!" She cried before turning to my sister. "Alice!"

"Hey, Bells," Alice said, smiling.

"Hang on, guys," she smiled, holding up her finger, "give me a sec." She finished the two drinks with a slice of orange, sliding them both across the bar. She leaned over Emmett, listening to someone else's order and nodded, filling a mug with draft beer and handing it over.

She tapped Emmett on the back. "What?" He growled from under the bar, "I'm changing the keg now, Bells, damn."

"No, doofus," she laughed, "Look," she said, pointing to us.

"Eddie! Alice!" He beamed, standing up. "You made it in ok." He walked around the bar, giving me a handshake and a one armed hug. He swept Alice up in a huge bear hug, laughing when she squealed. "God, you guys look great."

"You too, Em," I smiled, "nice tan."

"Aw, hell, it happens here, whether you want it or not. Let me take the bar so Bells can see you. She'll never stop otherwise," he snorted, rolling his eyes. He walked over to her, taking the mug from her hands, and pointing to us. "Go!" He laughed.

She walked away from him and out from behind the bar. Alice was off her stool and in her arms before anyone could blink. "I missed you!" Alice cried and Bella kissed her head.

"Me too," she sighed. For the first time since we walked in, I saw the sadness in Bella's eyes. "Edward," she smiled beautifully, setting my sister down and walking into my arms. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Bella," I sighed, burying my nose in her hair. She even smelled the same. "You look fantastic," I whispered in her ear. Her blush and eye roll was my reward. I chuckled at herself deprecating manner.

"You're not so bad yourself, Edward," she winked at me. Some things never change.

"Are these the infamous Cullen's?" I heard behind me. I turned around to see a tall beautiful blond, giving me the once over before turning her gaze on my sister.

"Oh, Rose," Bella smiled, "this is Alice and Edward Cullen. Guys, this is Rosalie Hale, Emmett's girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you," I smiled, holding my hand out. She took it coolly, then looked at my sister.

"I've heard so much about you," Alice beamed. "It's nice to finally meet you." Rosalie's smile made the difference. Her face softened, allowing her to seem much friendlier.

"You too, Alice…Edward," she nodded. She turned to Bella. "Did I miss shots?"

Bella laughed. "Just the first one…we'll do another one in a minute. Get a table guys, let me bail Em out." She turned to both of us. "What do you guys want to drink? It's on me."

"That thing you made me last time," Alice giggled. Bella smiled and nodded.

"Beer's fine, Bella," I smiled, shrugging.

"Ok, go sit."

We followed Rose to a table in the corner. Emmett bounded over to us, "Hey, babe," he smiled, kissing her quickly and then ran off. The way they looked at each other told me everything. They were head over heels for each other.

"Here you go," Bella said, setting my beer down. "And a Slippery Nipple," she laughed as I snorted into my beer, looking over at Alice.

"Yeah, I knew it was something like that," Alice laughed. Jasper chuckled, kissing her head.

I watched Bella for a few minutes behind the bar, when I heard Rose ask, "So, Edward, what do you do?"

"Right now, nothing," I snorted, shaking my head. "It's a long story, but I'm between jobs." A slow song came on and Jasper pulled Alice away from us, wrapping her up on the dance floor. "When I did work, I was in advertising."

"Are you staying the whole summer?" She asked over her beer.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Alice wants the time with Jasper and she says I need a break. I am beginning to think she's right," I said, watching Bella smack the hand away from a guy who was trying to touch her. I found myself frowning at the sight, until Emmett came from behind the bar, whispering something in the man's ear. His face went white and he nodded.

"Emmett says you were all friends in high school. Does she look the same?" She asked.

"Better," I smiled without thinking or taking my eyes from her. I looked up at her and saw she was smiling, "Sorry, it's been a while since I've seen her."

"You know," she smirked, looking me in the eye, "this may prove to be one interesting summer."

Rose and I chatted for some time. I found out that she owns a car restoration shop around the corner, specializing in high end cars. I wouldn't have guessed it about her, but I imagine that it was just one more thing that Emmett loved about her.

"Here, Edward," Bella said, sitting with us and setting another beer down. "Rose, shots are on in a sec…Em wants to do the stool shots." She smirked, shaking her head. "You want to try it?" Bella asked me.

"What's the shot?" I asked, looking up at Emmett lining up stools.

"Jaeger," she snickered, grabbing my hand. "Come on, you two…Ali, shots!" She called over to my sister.

She sat us all in a row on bar stools. There were two men on the end, Rose, Alice and then me. Starting the song _"You Shook Me All Night" _by AC/DC, she raised an eyebrow to Rose, who laughed, shaking her head. She waved to Emmett for the bottle and he tossed it to her, smiling and nodding to the music. Standing up on the stool with the first man, she tilted his head back with her hand and he opened his mouth. She poured the liquor straight in his mouth, making sure that she spilled some on his face. She laughed as he sputtered. She did the same to the next man.

With Rose, she tossed the bottle to Emmett who came up behind her, tilting her head back for a long kiss, earning cheers from the crowd. She left her head back, opening her mouth. He laughed, pouring liquid into her mouth. He kissed her again, laughing as she smacked his arm.

"Ready, Ali?" Bella asked, taking the bottle from Emmett. Alice nodded, smiling. Bella tilted her head back, "Open up," she laughed. Alice was giggling too hard. When she finally opened up, she sputtered with the amount that Bella had poured in.

Coming up to me she looked me up and down. "Did you get taller?" She asked, standing between my legs on the rung of the stool.

"Yeah," I smirked at her. "One last growth spurt."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Open, Edward," she smiled, tilting my head back. She leaned into me, her fingers on my jaw, pouring the black liquid into my mouth. "Was that growth spurt everywhere, Edward?" She whispered into my ear, snickering as I choked on my shot.

"Want to find out?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. She laughed, hopping down from my stool.

What was I doing? It was like no time had passed between us. She was dangerously sexy and her flirtation was just like it was in high school. Maybe Rose was right, this was going to be an interesting summer.

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**A/N…Ok, so there's my first chapter…please let me know what you think. I will try to post quickly.**

**I want to thank Brits23 for her awesomeness and beta work…she rocks…go check out her story Show and Don't Tell! It's really good.**

**Ok, I need reviews…this is important to me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N…I want to thank you for your response on the first chapter. To answer the most prominent question…I don't know how often I will post chapters. I will do my best to spoil you like I did with Broken Angel, but don't hate me when I can't. **

**So, without further ado…here you go…**

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CHAPTER 2

BPOV

Holy fucking hell! I never thought Edward Cullen could get better looking, but he did. When I had seen him at the bar, I had to pick my mouth up off the floor. He was stunningly sexy. His hair was still everywhere, just a little shorter. His shoulders broadened. I could see every muscle under that damn white t-shirt he was wearing, he wasn't lean, he was built. His jaw line was sharper, more man, less boy. It took everything I had to keep it together. The changes in his eyes were the most noticeable. While they were still the piercing green they always were, but they looked tired, older, scared.

I couldn't help my reaction to him, he always brought it out in me. He was so good at giving me back just as much as I shoved at him. It was comfortable, and I could tell he had missed it.

I didn't usually sleep on Saturday nights, choosing to stay up to make breakfast. I was sitting downstairs, entering in the bar's profits into my laptop. Emmett stumbled into the room. "What did you make today, Bells?" He asked, sleepily.

"Eggs benedict, French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon," I said, smiling. "Sit before you fall, Em, I'll make you a plate and you can go back to bed."

"Ok, Bells," he yawned. I filled his plate with a little of everything, Emmett's appetite was not picky, ever. I set it in front of him, ruffling his hair. "Bells?"

I sipped my coffee, checking my figures. "Hmm?" I looked up at him.

"Are you ok…with…" He pointed to the stairs behind him. "I mean, will you…"

I snickered at his sleepiness. Normally, Emmett was not so inarticulate. "It's fine, Em. Don't worry."

"Yeah, but is it hard for you to see him?" He asked, shoveling a fork full of scrambled eggs in his mouth.

"Yes," I said honestly. "Lots of memories, Em."

"Yeah, I remember," he nodded, gulping orange juice. "Never seen you look so bad as when you broke up with him. Thought I was going to have to bring you to Seattle with us."

I snorted, shaking my head. I had missed Edward like mad after we broke up. It was only through that summer that we were together. He wouldn't have gone to college otherwise. He was job hunting in Forks in order to stay with me. I couldn't stand the thought of him wasting his life on me. He was perfect, coming from a rich family, I didn't have anything but a lot of baggage and a sad story.

"Thanks for the grub, sis, it rocked as usual," he smiled, kissing my head and trudging back to his room.

I sipped my coffee again, checking my emails. Nothing much but spam. The only emails I got were from Alice and she was here.

"You're up early," a velvet voice said in front of me.

I looked up from my computer to see Edward, dressed in running shorts and a t-shirt. I could barely speak. "I haven't been to bed yet," I sighed, smiling at him. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah, then I need to run." He nodded, smiling that crooked grin of his.

"Still run, huh?" I asked, getting up to fix his plate. "Me too. You can go with me if you want."

"I don't want to intrude," he said softly.

"You're not," I shook my head, setting his plate down. "I run five miles out and back, but on Sundays, I need to make a stop at Jake's."

"Who's Jake?" He asked, picking up a piece of bacon.

"You'll see," I smiled. "I have a date with him every Sunday."

"Listen," he frowned, "I can run alone."

I snickered, "Run with me, it's fine."

My cell phone went off and I didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Oh, honey, it's Mom." Renee calling meant one of two things…she was in jail or needed money.

"Hi Renee," I sighed, rolling my eyes. Edward's head shot up to look at me.

"I need a favor, baby, can I get a few bucks from you?"

"What's the money for, Mom?" I asked, frowning.

"Well, I need food and cigarettes…" She stumbled over the next few words that I couldn't make out.

"You know, Renee, I will gladly come stock your fridge, but I will not hand you money," I snapped, getting up from the table.

"No, Bells, I can buy my own stuff," she argued.

"Then the answer is no, mom," I sighed, wiping my face in frustration. "When you have cash, it doesn't go to what you need, you party with it."

"Fine, fucking be that way…you know I'm your mother… not the goddamn child!" She screamed, hanging up on me. I sat back down, tossing my phone on the table.

"You ok?" Edward asked, his face serious.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," I sighed. "Morning guys," I waved, seeing Jasper and Alice shuffle down. "Breakfast is ready, have at it," I frowned, feeling Edward's stare on me.

"You sound cranky, Bells," Jasper smiled up at me, "but this looks fantastic." He filled his plate, setting it down.

I waved him off, shutting my computer down. "Eat. Never mind me."

"Huh…Renee must have called," Jasper snorted, "jail or money?"

"Money," I sighed, standing up.

"How'd you know that?" Edward asked, smiling.

"Nothing breaks Bella's sunshine Sunday like Renee," Jasper teased. "Tell me you're at least going to see Jake."

"Yes," I nodded, "as soon as Edward's finished."

"Good, he's good for you," Jasper smirked, pulling out a chair for Alice and setting her plate down. She looked too sleepy to speak.

"I'm done," Edward said, standing and kissing his sister's head.

"Ok…Jazz, those two girls are checking in today, keep a watch out. Tell Emmett that he has bar duty tonight," I said, walking towards the back door.

"Ok, Bells," he sighed, waving me off.

I turned to Edward. "Ok, five miles on the beach is ten piers to the right…nine to the left. We are going right today." He nodded, following me out onto the sand. "Oh, and the air is thicker here, tell me if you need to stop."

"I'll be fine, Bella," he smiled.

I tossed my hair up in a ponytail, stretching my legs. Normally I would listen to my iPod, but it seemed rude when I had someone running with me. When I run, I tend to let my mind work things out.

Renee had been calling me once a week since I moved in with my grandmother. At first I used to give her the money, thinking she really would use it for what she said, but I found out the hard way. She would spend it on drugs and alcohol…not food. The hospital called me once to tell me she was malnourished and had almost overdosed. They cleaned her up and sent her out, telling me she needed to hit "rock bottom" before she would see the light. I was terrified that "rock bottom" meant the end for my mother.

I looked beside me and Edward was keeping up just fine. I bit back a groan at the sight of his muscular legs.

I wanted to talk to him, find out what he had been up to. I was sure Alice had told him about Charlie, but when he didn't show, I was heartbroken. Emmett and Jasper were pretty mad. Charlie had died of a heart attack, entering a burglary scene two years ago. He never went to the doctor, so we never knew that his cholesterol was too high and his arteries were clogged.

With as fast as my mind was working, the run was over pretty quick. "We stop here," I said, slowing down and resting my hands on my knees.

"Miss Bella!" Jake cried behind me, jumping into my arms.

EPOV

I finally saw the source of sadness of Bella's eyes -- her mother. I couldn't believe after all that she's put Bella through, she still calls her.

As we ran, I thought about how upset she used to get when we were in middle school. Renee would forget Bella's birthdays and Christmases. It used to piss Charlie off something fierce. Bella would be in tears when her mother would call three or four days later, telling her Happy Birthday. It got to the point that I think Charlie changed their phone number.

She wasn't kidding, the air was thick with humidity. It was early morning, I can't imagine what it was going to be like when noon rolled around.

"We stop here," she breathed, touching my arm and putting her hands on her knees.

"Miss Bella!" A child's voice yelled behind me. I turned around to see a young, russet skinned boy with black hair jump into Bella's arms.

"There's my buddy," she beamed, smothering him with kisses.

"Stop!" He laughed, "you're all sweaty!"

"Oh, you love it," she squeezed him close, laughing and kissing him again.

"No, I don't," he giggled. He really did. He looked to be about five or six and of American Indian decent. He was wriggling in her arms, clinging on to her and laughing.

"Jake, I want you to meet a friend of mine," she said, setting him on his feet. "This is Edward."

"Hi, Edward," Jake smiled a huge warm smile, holding his hand out for me to shake.

"Hey, Jake," I couldn't help but smile back, shaking his hand. I could see why Jasper said he was good for Bella, there was a light back in her eyes that had been snuffed out by the call from her mother.

"Come on," Jake urged, pulling on Bella's hand. "Dad is waiting for you."

"Ok, ok," she stumbled, snickering at him.

We walked over to a small house, where an middle aged gentleman was sitting in a wheelchair. "Hey, Bells," he greeted, his face was happy and smiling.

"Hey, Billy, this is Edward Cullen, a friend from back home," she said as I shook the man's hand.

"Come on, Miss Bella," Jake urged, tugging her into the house.

Billy and I snickered, watching her walk behind the excited little boy. "Have a seat, son," he said, pointing to a chair beside him. "They will be a minute."

"Ok," I smiled, liking the man instantly. He handed me a bottle of water from a cooler at his side and I drank most of it in one draw. "Thanks," I sighed.

"Did she tell you about Jake or just drag you along?" He asked, a gleam in his eye.

"I was dragged," I smirked, shrugging.

"Jake was in Bella's first grade class when she first started teaching here…now, she's in Tampa. When his mom died, he started acting out in class, giving Bella an awful run for her money. When she finally called me, I told her. It wasn't long after her father died. They bonded instantly," he smiled sadly. "Now, she comes every Sunday to help with some things I can't do around here. When she can't come, she sends one of those giant brothers of hers." I laughed, shaking my head. "She's something else," he shook his head, smiling. "How long have you known her?"

"My whole life, it seems." I drank the rest of the water, screwing the top back on. "We went through high school together."

"Edward," Bella called, popping out the door, "Do you need water or anything?"

"The man is fine, Bells," Billy snorted, "get done and take a damn day off, would you?" She laughed, disappearing back into the house, "crazy girl, never sleeps. Doesn't stop, that one."

"I see that," I frowned.

Billy was extremely funny and loved his son. His son adored Bella. When she was finished, she came out with Jake sitting on her shoulders. Flipping him over onto his feet, he screamed. "Ok, buddy, I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Bye Miss Bella," he smiled. She kissed his head and Billy's, telling them both to behave and that they should call if they need anything.

"It was nice meeting you, Edward," Billy smiled. "Get her home, I know she hasn't slept yet." Bella rolled her eyes, looking up at me.

We ran back about half way when the air got to me. "Bella," I groaned, stopping and panting.

"Yeah, it's the air," she smiled, patting me on the back. "Takes a few days, Edward. We can walk back."

It was already a thousand degrees, I was sure of it. People were making their way out onto the sand, setting up umbrellas and blankets. I had been to Hawaii and Washington had its own beaches, but as we walked, I realized the island was truly beautiful.

Hotels and homes lined their way up the shore, on the beach side and across the street. Businesses and restaurants were simple, old looking. I didn't see one McDonald's or Taco Bell. It was refreshing.

The water was a different story. It was green…really green. It smelled clean and open, which helped me clear my head. It reminded me that I had an apology to make. "Bella, I'm sorry about Charlie," I sighed, looking out at the water.

"Thanks," she said quietly. A smile played on her lips but didn't reach her eyes.

"No, I've been pretty shitty…as my sister was so kind to point out to me," I snorted, "I should've been there."

"Are you here all summer?" She asked suddenly.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Good, then you have time to make it up to me," she smirked, her eyes mischievous.

"Hmm," I mused, tilting my head at her as we stopped just outside the inn. "I have a feeling this will be punishment I won't mind."

She snickered, standing up on her toes to kiss my cheek. At my ear she said, "How bad have you been, Edward?"

"You don't want to know," I said truthfully. I thought back on the last few years and I wasn't proud of myself. My life had turned into something I didn't recognize.

"You look like you mean that," she mused, looking at me. "I need sleep, so I tell you what…your first punishment starts tonight, meet me in the bar. We'll drink away all things shitty."

"Deal," I nodded, smiling. "What time?"

"Eight is fine," she said, walking inside.

I spent the rest of the day alone, which I enjoyed immensely. I wandered out to the beach, finally giving in and stripping my shirt off. The water was as warm as a bath, soothing. I was watching two little boys build a sand castle when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hungry?" Alice asked, handing me a bag and sitting beside me on the deck.

"Yeah, thanks," I smiled, taking out the sandwich and chips. "Where's Jasper?"

"Checking in those two new guests," she growled, rolling her eyes. "Wait until you meet

them." I laughed, thinking Alice usually liked everyone. For her to have that reaction, this was going to be interesting. "Are you coming to the bar tonight?" She asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes, Alice," I sighed.

"Good," she smiled, standing, "Bella's good for you."

"Yeah, she is," I smiled up at my sister. "I just don't think…"

"Don't think, Edward," she smoothed my hair, smiling and kissing the top of my head. "It's overrated."

BPOV

Sleep came to me quickly. It always did after my run. Seeing Jake helped, too. He was a source of unconditional love for me.

When I had Jake in my class, he was smart, sweet, and well-mannered. About half way through the year, he started throwing terrible tantrums, fits of anger would rage through the small, sweet boy.

I called his father in for a conference, hoping to find out the reason behind the change in Jake's personality. Billy told me that there had been a car accident. It resulted in his wife's death and put him in a wheelchair. He was such a pleasant man, that we struck up a friendship immediately.

Charlie had recently died and I told Jake about him. We were buddies ever since. He would come to me when something upset him instead of lashing out in class.

I stepped out of my bathroom, shaking the excess water from my hair, to see Rose sitting on my bed. "Hey, Rose," I smiled, slipping my sandals on.

"Did he always look so good?" She asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

I snorted, wrinkling my brow at her. "Where did that come from?" I countered.

"Just answer the damn question, Bells," she laughed.

"Oh God, Rose," I groaned, sitting next to her, "he looks better now." I sighed, putting my face in my hands.

"Hmm," she smiled, rubbing my back, "that's exactly what he said about you." She snickered, winking at me. "And pretty much in that same tone of voice," she said, raising her eyebrow at me.

I chuckled, "It doesn't matter, Rose, he's only here for the summer."

She stared at me for a moment and started, "You know, Bells," she smiled, "I don't normally give you dating advice. You can look after yourself. When you can't, Jasper and Emmett do just fine," she snorted, shaking her head. "But, here's what I know…you're miserable, sweetie. You work twenty-four-seven, your mother drives you to just shy of depression and I'm not sure if you're really over Charlie…but, what I do know is when Edward enters the room, you light the fuck up. And he's only been here one day." She stopped and sighed. "He's jobless, you know…free to move anywhere…" Her hint did not go unnoticed.

"No," I laughed, "I didn't know." I wiped a tear away.

"I'm just saying," she smirked, shrugging.

We made our way to the lobby, running into Alice and Jasper. "Hey Bells, how's Jake?"

"He's fine…did those two girls check in today?"

"Yes," Alice growled, frowning.

"Oh, God, what?" I asked, looking at Jasper and back to Alice.

"Are you talking about the two women I saw earlier when I came through the bar?" Rose asked, "Red hair?" Alice nodded. "Hell no! I saw them drooling over Emmett when I came through. Wanted to snatch her off the bar stool."

"Oh, boy," Jasper and I said in unison, following her into the bar.

The place wasn't that busy, Sundays never really were, but there were a few people on the dance floor and sitting at tables. It was the bar Rose was making a bee line for. Emmett was behind it, leaning on his hands and talking to Edward.

Two women sat extremely close to Edward, touching his arm…one blond, one with flaming red hair. The red head was leaning onto the bar, batting her eyes at Emmett. The blond was trailing her fingers up and down Edward's arm. Both boys looked extremely uncomfortable.

I snickered when Rose walked up, taking the stool on the other side of the red head. I walked behind the bar to stand next to Emmett.

"Bells, Rose!" Emmett exclaimed, jumping slightly. "Have you met our new guests?" He asked, his eyes going wide, sliding down the bar to kiss Rose. I watched as her eyes narrowed at the red head. I snickered at her.

"No, I haven't." I turned to the two women. Edward still looked uncomfortable.

"This is Victoria," Em said, gesturing to the red head. I shook her hand as he said, "This is Bella, she owns this place. And this is Heidi," he said, pointing to the blond. I shook her hand too, but she could barely tear her eyes from Edward. I welcomed them in, smiling.

I smiled at Edward, flicking my eyes to her. "Help," he mouthed to me. I nodded, knowing I had done this for him more times than I could count. When Edward turned fourteen, he couldn't go anywhere…school, parties, malls, theatres…without girls latching onto him. It drove him crazy, so he would beg for interference. I didn't mind at all, it usually meant he would spend the rest of his time with his arm around me.

"Hey, baby," I purred, leaning on the bar, smirking.

He chuckled with the memory, saying, "How did you sleep, beautiful?"

"Sadly alone," I sighed, tilting my head at him.

"Well, maybe we can remedy that," his voice was velvet, raising his eyebrow. God, he was so fucking sexy now. Where did that side of him come from?

"Baby, will you do a shot with me?" I asked, watching him pick my hand up off the bar.

"I would do _anything _for you, love," he smirked, placing a long, slow kiss on the top of my hand. His eyes darkened to a deep green and they never broke from mine.

Heidi huffed, grabbing Victoria and walking away.

"Did I hear shots?" Rose piped up.

"Sure, Rose," I smiled, breaking my gaze from Edward. "What shot do you want?" I asked, looking over at her.

"Tequila," she beamed, glancing over at Emmett.

"Sweet! Line 'em up…body shots!" He boomed, laughing and pulling out a bunch of shot glasses, salt and lime wedges.

"Oh, God," I moaned, looking over at Edward, who was chuckling.

"Ladies drink first, pick your partner," Emmett instructed, pouring tequila into the shot glasses.

Alice drug Jasper to a chair, sitting him down. Rose called Emmett out from behind the bar, putting him on a chair as well. I looked at Edward, his eyebrow raised. "Punishment, remember?" I laughed. He smiled, nodding. "Go, sit," I commanded, raising my own eyebrow. "Alice, you remember these from last time?" She nodded her head. "Sorry, Jazz," I laughed as he just shrugged, his eyes never leaving Alice.

She leaned his head to the back, licking from his Adam's Apple to his chin. I handed her the salt and she poured it over his wet skin. She licked again, gathering all the salt with her tongue. I handed her a shot and put the lime in Jasper's mouth at the same time. She gulped back the shot, crawling into his lap. Cheers rang out as her mouth took the lime from his lips.

Rose smiled at me, laying Emmett across two chairs. I laughed as she completely removed his shirt, licking from his bellybutton to his neck, straight up the middle of his chest. She poured her salt, licked it up and took her shot. When she leaned in to take the lime from Emmett's lips, his strong arms wrapped around her, keeping her lips to his. I laughed, clapping with the crowd.

Turning to Edward, I asked, "Where do _you _want to be licked?"

"By you?" He clarified and I nodded. "Everywhere," he whispered in my ear, his hot breath giving me chills.

"Hmm," I mused, looking him over. "We'll see," I purred, smirking at him. He leaned back in the chair, his arms on the back. He was wearing tan shorts and a black button down shirt not tucked in with the sleeves rolled up. "Don't move," I said, standing between his legs. I unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt, hearing the small crowd whistle. I pulled it down, exposing the perfectly smooth skin of his shoulder. "Ready?" I asked, snickering and raising my eyebrow.

He was chuckling until my tongue met his shoulder. I heard him groan softly when I swirled my tongue in the dip at the bottom of his throat.

"Here," Emmett said, chuckling and handing me the salt. "You ok there, Ed?" He asked, and I saw him nod as I poured the salt over his skin. I swirled my tongue over the same trail from shoulder to throat, getting all of the salt I could. Emmett handed me the shot as he placed the lime in Edward's mouth. I tossed the shot back, grimacing as it burned all the way down. When I took the lime, I made sure to let my lips graze across his.

I pulled back, taking the lime with me, watching Edward lick his lips, his laugh coming out in a huff. He stood, saying, "My turn." His smirk was deadly and I heard Rose snort behind me.

"Oh hell yeah," Emmett smiled, pushing me into the chair. "Paybacks are a bitch, Bells," he laughed and I groaned, looking up at Edward towering over me. "You're driving him nuts, you know," he whispered in my ear.

Edward knelt down in front of me, his hands on my leg, and suddenly, I was very aware I was wearing a short skirt. His thumb made a torturously slow circle around my knee cap. From the dark look on Edward's face, I was pretty sure that whatever he was thinking, I would not survive it. He picked my leg up, his hand behind my knee. A laugh rushed out of me, my head turning to look anywhere but the man in front of me. Loud cries and whistles came from the people around us.

He bent his head down, placing a kiss to my knee, his tongue flicking out and twirling around it. He flattened his tongue, dragging it up my thigh and stopping at the hem of my skirt. Emmett handed him the salt and his eyes barely left mine when he poured it. Bending down again, he licked the salt away, traveling up the same path. The feel of his tongue on me was driving me crazy.

I took the lime from Emmett, placing it in my mouth, my eyes on Edward's neck as he tossed his shot back. He looked down at me and I wanted to groan again, but I kept myself in check. His face loomed closer, his smirk was gone. There was something else in his eyes. He turned his head slightly. He took the lime from my mouth, biting down on it and causing the juice to run down my neck. I felt his lips press to mine softly before he pulled away, my heart just about jumped out of my chest.

With his finger, he wiped the line of lime juice from my neck to my chin and put it into his mouth, chuckling. Edward Cullen had become a very dangerous creature.

EPOV

"That's not the first time she's saved you from women, is it?" Rose asked as we all sat around a table. The bar was practically empty and Emmett was about to close.

"Definitely not," Bella and I both said, laughing. Bella added, "Towards the end of high school it was a daily occurrence, no matter where we all went…I should have just carried a baseball bat." Rose laughed as I rolled my eyes at Bella's snicker.

"I can tell, it's almost like you planned it," she laughed.

"Poor Edward," Alice shook her head. "The minute he turned fourteen, he shot up overnight. The girls drove him crazy!" She giggled. I just shook my head, rolling my eyes again.

"Yeah, they did," Emmett said, frowning. "Bells would have to swoop in and save him from their evil clutches. He was too cute for his own good," Emmett teased, pinching my cheek.

"Fuck you, Em," I laughed, throwing a bottle cap at him. "If I remember correctly, Alice and Bella had to save you once or twice. What was her name?"

"Holly Anderson," Alice and Bella groaned, snorting. Bella added, "God, she was clueless. Never could get her to leave Emmett alone. It was always at the beginning of the school year. It's like she forgot over the summer!" We all laughed, nodding our heads.

"Oh yeah! I forgot about her," Emmett mused, "she was scary…she sounded like the Nanny!" Rose snorted into her beer.

"Remember Allison…um, what was her last name?" Alice asked, smirking.

"Johanson," Emmett and Jasper said, laughing.

"She was hot," Emmett smiled, getting a look from Rose. "She was, but she was all about Jasper."

Bella snorted, "She was crazy, that's what she was."

"No, she wasn't," Jasper smirked. "She was…_unique_."

"Just because she was hot, doesn't mean she had all her faculties, Jazz," Alice said, laughing.

"Jasper," I chuckled. "She tried to change her name to Whitlock in the ninth grade, man."

"Oh, yeah," Jasper frowned. Bella snorted, shaking her head.

"The best was watching Bella try and date with these three around," Alice piped in. "They chased everyone off. She used to get so pissed."

"That was so annoying," Bella mumbled, shaking her head. "I couldn't go anywhere without them showing up." Rose snorted and they exchanged a look.

"Oh, come on, Bells," Jasper growled. "You didn't hear the shit we heard in the locker room. It was disturbing to think that they were thinking of you like that," he smiled, ruffling her hair.

"The worst was Tyler," I frowned, shaking my head.

"Oh that fucker," Emmett growled. "He used to brag that he already 'had' Bells."

"No, he didn't!" Bella gasped, looking at all of us.

"Yes, he did," Jasper, Emmett and I all said.

"I told you that, Bella," I said, "he was a pig."

"Asshole," Alice growled. "He's the same guy that would touch your ass and tell you there was something on you."

"Yeah, I remember that," Emmett nodded, frowning. "Punched him once for doing that to Bella."

"_That _I remember," she snorted, nodding. "That was funny. He cried like a girl," We all laughed. "Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me," Bella growled, looking at the door.

A blond guy, with his hair pulled back in a pony tail, was staring over at our table. He was lean and muscular, but his face was angry. He was sporting quite the shiner.

"That stupid motherfucker!" Emmett sneered, getting up.

"Emmett, wait," Bella frowned, pulling on his arm. "James," she started, turning to the guy, "what do you want?"

"My shit back, bitch," he licked his lips, sneering at her.

"James, I will ask you once…_once_," Jasper growled, pointing to him, "not to call her that."

"Kiss my ass," James sneered, looking back at Bella. "Where is my shit, Bella?" By now, all three of us were standing.

"Garbage, James," she snorted, raising her chin in defiance. "I threw it away." Bella said, getting up from her chair. She pointed her finger at James and said, "If you wanted out, all you had to do was say something, jackass. The face looks good by the way, nice job, Em." Her chuckle pushed him too far.

"You stupid whore," James yelled, pointing in her face, "You're gonna end up just like your fucking mother, plain white trash!" Before I had a chance to think, I landed on the guy, pounding his face. No one…and I mean no one…talks to her that way.

"Eddie," Emmett grunted, pulling at me.

"Edward," Bella gasped and pulled me by my shirt.

"I'll end you," I snarled right in his face, "if you ever talk to her like that again."

Jasper was on one side of me, Bella on the other, both pulling me off of him. Emmett snatched him up off the floor, picking him up by his shirt. "Come on, asshole," he said, smiling, "I'm gonna walk you out to your car."

"Edward," Bella whispered, looking up at me. I saw her face, tears were welling up. "Your hand," she breathed, holding it up by my wrist. My knuckles were bleeding. "Come on," she tugged at me, "I'll clean you up."

I let her take me through the lobby and behind the stairs to another hallway. She pulled out her key and unlocked the door. I followed her in, looking around. This was truly Bella's room.

It was basically an apartment, with a living room, kitchen and bedroom. It was a little more modern than the rest of the house. The blue and green tones were perfect for her. Not that she wasn't feminine, she just never had been the kind of girl to surround herself in pink.

She led me into the kitchen, turning on the water. She held my hand gently under the water, cleaning the blood off. She walked into the bathroom, coming out with a bottle, "This may sting," she said softly. She poured the liquid on my hand and I jumped at the sting. "Sorry," she murmured.

She grabbed a clean towel out of the cabinet and wiped my hand down. "I think that was mostly James' blood," she mused, not looking at me. "But, let's put ice on it anyway, ok?" She asked and I nodded. "Go sit down, I'll bring it to you."

I went into the living room, sitting down on the couch. She walked in, kneeling in front of me with a towel filled with ice. "I'm really sorry about that, Edward," she sighed.

"Who was he?" I asked, finally finding my voice.

"My ex boyfriend," she sighed, shifting the towel. "Emmett went over to pick up my laptop and caught him with another girl," she said, looking only at my hand.

I saw the tears course down her cheeks and I set the towel on the floor. "Hey, don't you dare cry over him," I frowned, "he doesn't know what he missing out on." I pulled her face up to look at me, but she wouldn't meet my eyes. "You believe him, don't you?" I asked, searching her face.

She didn't say anything, just cried harder. She looked defeated. I picked her up, pulling her on my lap. "Bella, you don't see yourself very clearly, do you?" I asked, feeling her tears soak through my shirt. "You won't end up like Renee, there's not a chance, love," I said, rubbing her back. "You are a thousand times better than she'll ever be." I rubbed her back. "You need to step back and look at yourself…you're smart, funny…you do an amazing job with this place…you take care of everyone around you, except yourself…" I pulled her back to make her look at me. "And you are so fucking beautiful, so don't believe anything he tells you, ok?" I asked, looking at her and wiping her tears with my thumb. She put her head back on my chest.

"It hurts when someone you love cheats," I sighed, tracing my fingers down her arms.

"It sucks, but I didn't love him," she said into my neck.

I chuckled, shaking my head. She lifted her head up, raising an eyebrow at me. "Been there done that, Bella," I snickered. "My last girlfriend did the same thing…only she made us even."

"Yeah?" She snorted. "James and I were even too." We both laughed at our screwed up situations. "What was her name?"

"Which one?" I snorted.

"Either," she laughed, wiping her face.

"Lauren was the girlfriend. Ashley was a mistake."

"What happened?" She asked, sitting down next to me.

"Hmm," I mused, looking at her, "I cheated on her months ago…before we were living together…God, this makes me sound like an asshole, Bella," I laughed nervously.

"It's fine," she snickered. "Who am I to judge?"

"Anyway, this is the best part…Lauren is…_was_…my boss' daughter…when I kicked her out for cheating, he fired me."

"No way!" She gasped, shaking her head. "What are you going to do?"

I shrugged, "I don't know." She reached over and picked up my hand, inspecting my knuckles. "They'll hurt worse tomorrow," I sighed, smiling.

"I'm really sorry," she looked up at me. I couldn't resist her. I had to kiss her. I had been wanting to since we walked into the bar the first night.

I brushed her hair away from her face, leaning in closer to her. Her breathing picked up, her eyes widening, "Edward," she whispered, her brow wrinkling. I wove my fingers into her hair, closing the remaining distance between us. I touched my lips to hers softly, but something snapped in the both of us.

With a groan from me and a whimper from her, we crashed into each other. With a sound that was almost like a sob, she leaned into me, climbing back up on my lap. Her legs were on each side of mine. Her mouth opened to me and I moaned as our tongues met for the first time in six years.

Her hands were on each side of my face, slowly sinking into my hair. One of my hands was on her back, keeping her to me, and the other was on her hip, trying not to squeeze too tightly. I took her bottom lip while she took my top and switched. I turned my head, deepening the kiss.

She tasted better than anything, like home, like comfort. I hadn't realized what I had been missing in my life all these years. She broke away from me, pulling back slightly. "I missed you," I groaned, not thinking.

"Edward, I can't…" she sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes again. "I can't do this," she breathed, standing up off of my lap.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, running my fingers through my hair, trying to clear my head. "Bella, I…"

"No, it's ok," she shook her head, walking into the kitchen and coming out with two beers. She handed me one. "I just don't know what I'm doing, Edward," she sighed, looking out the window.

"Me either," I shook my head. "Maybe we can sort it out together, hmm?" She smiled, looking up at me, but I could see it wasn't meeting her eyes. She looked tired. "Get some sleep," I smiled, standing. She walked me to her door and I said, "Thanks for cleaning me up…and the beer…and the girls." I rolled my eyes at her.

She smiled, saying, "You're welcome." I kissed her forehead.

For some reason, I didn't want to leave. There was something off about her and I wondered if I screwed up. "Bella, I'm really sorry…I didn't mean…"

"It's ok," she said, shaking her head at me. "I missed you, too," she whispered.

I kissed her head again, "goodnight."

"Night," she sighed, closing the door behind me.

I wasn't tired yet, so I walked downstairs out onto the deck. Emmett and Jasper were sitting with their own beers. "Ed," Jasper greeted me, motioning me to sit with them. "How's the hand?"

"Oh, it's fine," I sighed, looking at it. "It'll be bruised in the morning. Bella cleaned me up just fine."

"I'm sure she did," Emmett snickered. "She's been cleaning me and Jasper up for years."

I smiled, but I felt off, like something was wrong when I left her. "You still love her," Jasper noted, looking at me.

"I missed her," I said quietly, looking out into the blackness towards the sound of the ocean.

"I see the way you look at her," Emmett smirked. "Ignore James, he's a dick…she wouldn't listen to us about him…you…" he smiled, pointing to me. "You, I get…and like, you're family…anyone else…not so much."

"It just about killed her to break up with you," Jasper sighed, looking at me. "It's why she came here."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my heart lurching at the memory.

"Are fucking kidding me, Ed? You don't know?" Emmett asked, tipping back his beer.

"Know what?" I asked.

"Edward," Jasper started. "She lied to you, man! She knew you were blowing off college for her. She wasn't going to have that on her conscience."

"No, she said…" I shook my head. "She said…she didn't want me…that she didn't love me…"

"Would you have let her go any other way?" Emmett asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are you guys telling me this shit?" I growled, my voice raising. "I would've done anything then to keep us together…"

"We're telling you…because she needs you, asshole," Jasper smiled. "Look at her, dude," he said, pointing into the house. "She doesn't sleep, she doesn't take a day off, she dates the worst men possible…she stays busy…_all the fucking time_…and it's been that way for _six_ years, man."

"Yeah, dude," Emmett smiled, "I haven't seen her light up in years like she did when you and Ali showed up."

"Why would she do that?" I asked, running my hands through my hair. "Why would she lie? It didn't seem like a fucking lie…it hurt like hell."

"Oh, come on, man, think about it," Emmett smiled, leaning towards me. "She knew she would never get the same opportunities as you did…you were handed the golden ticket and you were throwing it away on her…in her eyes."

"She lied to you…for your own good, but it just about did her in," Jasper frowned.

"She's loved you since we were twelve years old," Alice said, coming outside. "I tried to tell you, Edward."

"I have to talk to her," I groaned, standing.

"You can't," Rose said from the doorway. "She's gone." She shook her head, her eyes sad, "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen."

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**A/N…Oh, no…cliffy…well, sorry. But, it couldn't be helped.**

**Review for me, please…I love them…good, bad, or otherwise.**

**I want to thank my brilliant beta Brits23...she's my hero…love ya! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N…I've never been yelled at more for an update than for this chapter right here. Holy hell! Ok, ok…so, here it is…**

**I'll talk to you at the end…there's no reason to keep you from what you want…LMAO**

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CHAPTER 3

EPOV

I sat down, the air rushing from me. "Where would she go?" I asked, looking at my shoes, my hands in my hair.

"The house in Tampa," Emmett stated. "She bought it when she sold Charlie's house. She uses it when she's teaching. Relax, Ed, she just needs to cool off. She'll be back."

"Did you know?" I asked Alice, but she wouldn't meet my eyes. "Did you know she lied to me, Alice?" I asked again, looking up at her.

"Only after she had already done it, Edward," she frowned. "We were already at school…she called to check on you."

I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "I would have done anything she told me to."

"Edward, this may be the wrong thing to say, but I don't think it had anything to do with you going to college," Rose sighed, still leaning in the doorway. "Look, you guys protected her from the get go…and that's fine, but she went through years thinking she wasn't good enough…I think she feels she doesn't deserve you."

"What?" I asked, looking up at her. How could Bella think that? She was beautiful, smart, fun…and I don't know how many times I had told her that.

"Oh, God," Alice gasped, her mouth open, "she's right, Edward, she never thought herself pretty enough. I used to beg her to let me tell you how she felt, but she was convinced you would laugh. She never wanted us to stay at Charlie's. She was embarrassed."

"I never thought of it like that," Jasper said, frowning. "That's why we all stayed at your house on the weekends. Plus, Renee would call all the time, yelling at her for one reason or another…she was drunk and stoned. She made Bells feel like shit. Charlie finally put an end to it, but I think it might have been too late. I think it's more about Renee than anything."

"That's why she believed James," I whispered, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"What?" They all gasped. I just nodded.

"It's easier to believe the bad stuff over the good," Rose said quietly. "What happened when you were in her room?"

"I kissed her," I groaned, resting my elbows on my knees.

"Oh, no wonder she ran," Rose smiled. "Look, Edward, this is like that summer all over again…she knows she can't keep you…that you have to go home sooner or later. She's protecting herself, something she's gotten really good at." She raised her eyebrow at me and I nodded, finally understanding Bella's reaction.

"Give her time, man," Jasper smiled, "she can't stay away from this place…" He stood up, slapping my back. "I wish you could see the difference in her since you and Ali have been here."

"Yeah," Emmett and Rose said. Emmett added, "She'll be back, don't worry."

She wasn't back the next day or the day after that. I went for runs, I swam, and I even took the rental car for a drive, but I couldn't get her out of my head.

The kiss was bad timing. I didn't regret it, but after hearing Rose's explanation, it made much more sense. I would give Bella whatever she wanted. I had been terribly heartbroken when she broke up with me that summer. What she didn't know, and I would have to tell her eventually, was that I was working with Charlie to bring her with me and Alice, but she had broken up with me before I could surprise her. She had told me that she didn't want me anymore, to go to school, that she didn't love me like she thought she had. I was devastated, because it had been the happiest few months of my life.

I could understand her thinking, not knowing what I was planning. She had loved me enough to let me go, but thinking about it, she and I didn't fare well apart. Failed relationships, too much work, and stress piled on top of stress.

I wasn't sleeping much, staying up late and getting up early. I couldn't get it out of my head that this whole thing was my fault.

By the time that Friday night rolled around, I was just about to lose my mind. I was at the bar, nursing a beer and tracing the grain of the wood with my finger, when another beer was set in front of me.

"You look like you lost your best friend," I heard Bella's voice say.

I looked up to see her smirking at me. "Bella," I breathed, "I'm sorry, I never meant…"

"Please don't," she smiled sweetly. "I have a terrible habit of running away," she snorted, rolling her beautiful eyes. "I was going to come straight back, but I got a call to substitute teach for summer school, so I took it."

"Do I need to go, Bella?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Don't you dare!" She said, smiling. "It's not every day I get you and Alice under the same roof. Again, I'm sorry about running away."

I smirked, "Ok, I'll stay, but on one condition," I raised my eyebrow.

"And what would that be?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Next time you run away, take me with you!" I begged. "It was boring without you."

"Ok," she laughed, "I bet. Have Jasper and Alice even come out of her room?"

"Oh God, barely," I shuddered. "And his only concern was Sunday breakfast," I chuckled.

She snickered again, her nose wrinkling adorably, "Ew, sorry." She filled a mug and handed it to a customer. "You know, I think he's going to pop the question to her."

"For real?" I smiled.

"Yes, he's tired of the long distance thing."

"Bella, we should talk…" I started, hoping we could address the past, present. But, I was interrupted.

"Bells!" Emmett called, walking behind the bar. "I'm glad you're back, but you need to know there's a tropical storm brewing."

"What's our time looking like, Em?" She asked, frowning and pulling her laptop out from under the bar. She opened it, signing on.

"They say over a week. She's moving slow, but it's building," he said, looking over her shoulder.

"Ok, that may work for us," she sighed, "Those two girls leave in a week and there won't be anyone new for a few more weeks. We can take Edward and Alice to the house in Tampa if we have to evacuate."

"Are you talking about a hurricane?" I asked, looking at Emmett.

"Yeah, but don't worry, we'll get plenty of warning," he smiled.

BPOV

I had to go. I had to get out there. I was quickly falling for Edward harder than I ever have. We had fallen into an easy friendship just like we used to, but when I looked at him, I wanted so much more. I knew he wasn't staying, I knew he would go back, so I couldn't let myself fall into a trap of losing him again.

I took off with every intention of coming back the next day, but I got a call for work. I gladly accepted it, anxious for a little alone time at my other house. It was torture. I had missed everyone as soon as I left, but I knew my brothers wouldn't worry.

Seeing Edward so sad, sitting at the bar, made me sure that my friendship with him was so much more important than my wants. We had grown up together, he and Alice and me and my brothers had been inseparable from the first day of middle school. I didn't want to lose that. I didn't want lose my friend. What we had was special and fun. Trying to change that would hurt too much.

Edward stayed at the bar, chatting with me and Emmett while we worked. It was easy and comfortable. I watched as the bar filled up. Friday and Saturdays were always pretty busy. I enjoyed working them. They took my mind off of things. Emmett and I always had a good time. Jasper says it gives us an excuse to "get loud".

When Edward had said we needed to talk, I was worried. But, Emmett's timing couldn't have been better. Florida's hurricane season was something you either got used to or panicked over. I got used to it the year that there was storm after storm. I wasn't worried about it.

I was completely aware of the looks Edward was giving me. There was a tension between us, pulling me to him. I found myself sinking back into the old role I used to have with him, trying to push my feelings for him aside. It was barely working.

I came back from running some drinks out to a table and saw that Victoria and Heidi had perched themselves at the bar again on either side of Edward. A wide range of conflicting emotions ran through me. I didn't want to offend my guests, but I didn't want Edward to be uncomfortable. And when they touched him, I just wanted to snap their fingers off. This last emotion bothered me. He wasn't mine…he was my friend, that's all, that's it.

I was fucking lying to myself again.

"You better save him," Rose whispered in my ear.

"Yeah," I sighed, looking up at him and his eyes were pleading with mine as Victoria was telling him all about living in Atlanta.

I smiled again at how many times I had done this. "Hey, baby," I purred, walking around the bar to stand behind him.

"Hey, beautiful," he smirked. "Will you dance with me?"

"Sure, handsome," I smiled, not really sure if I was ready to be that close to him. But, I had to snicker at the looks on the girls' faces. They scowled and rolled their eyes.

He took me out to the dance floor and I saw Rose flit to the jukebox. When I heard the song she picked, I swore I would kill her. "_Bad Things_" by Jace Everett started and I found myself pressed to Edward's body.

The song was dirty, gritty and I couldn't help but grind against him. His hands were on my hips, his forehead to mine. My breath caught in my throat as he brushed my hair from shoulders, sliding down my side. His thumbs grazed the side of my breast. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he slid his thigh between mine.

His forehead was still pressed to mine and his eyes were dark as he licked his lips. I had to close my eyes at the sight, losing myself in the feel of him. I tried not to think of how perfect we fit together or his thigh between my legs or how close his lips were to mine. I tried not to breathe his amazing smell in, but it was all for nothing. He was surrounding me.

I was sweating in an effort to resist every urge my body had. When the song changed, I looked over at the jukebox and saw that Alice had joined Rose. They smirked at me as "_Truly, Madly, Deeply_" by Savage Garden started.

"One more, Bella, please," Edward murmured in my ear. All I could do was nod, barely able to look at him. There was an emotion playing across his face, like when we were in my room. I wanted him to kiss me, my body was begging for it.

The song was slower, sweeter. Its meaning was not lost on me and I knew what my friends were doing. But, I looked up at the man in my arms, his body swaying with mine. He wasn't for me…he never was.

With an intake of breath, I pushed away from him. "I think your friends got the point, Edward," I breathed. "I need to get back to work."

"Ok," he smiled, but I could hear disappointment in his voice.

I went back behind the bar and Emmett offered me a beer. "You look like you could use it," he snickered.

"Yeah, thanks," I sighed, downing most of it.

Alice and Edward closed the bar with us, having one last beer. We were all sitting around a table swapping stories. I was well aware that Edward was beside me, his arm on the back of my chair.

"So, Rose," Alice smiled, "how did you and Emmett meet?"

She laughed, looking over at him. "Have you seen Bella's truck?" She asked and I laughed, shaking my head. Edward and Alice shook their heads no. "Well, it's her pride and joy, I can just tell you. Big ass Dodge Ram…metallic, dark red…all the fucking bells and whistles. Emmett wrecked it," she snickered.

"Oh hell," Edward groaned.

"It wasn't my fault!" Emmett defended. "The old lady pulled out in front of me and I was hauling a ton of building supplies."

"Anyway," Rose rolled her eyes, "he tried to hide it from her, but I think she just about killed him when she saw it. So, he called around to a few places, finding mine. When he saw that a _woman_ owned the shop, he started to leave."

Jasper laughed at the memory. "Yeah, she tore him up! Ripped him open…he fell in love with her right there." Emmett nodded vigorously.

"You're lucky I still let you drive it," I growled, pointing to him.

"I know, I know," he smiled, picking up Rose's hand and kissing it.

"I want to see it," Edward smiled, looking at me.

"Ok," I stood. "Come on."

We walked out the door, and around to where Jasper, Emmett and I park. Emmett had a decked out Jeep and Jasper drove a Ford Expedition. I unlocked my truck, opening the door. "Damn, Bella," Edward chuckled.

"Yeah," I smiled, looking at my truck. "It's the one thing I spoiled myself with."

"You should do it more often," he muttered, getting in.

"I don't have time," I rolled my eyes.

"You need to make time for yourself," he frowned, hopping down and shutting the door. "Make time for the things you want." His face was serious, but a smile played on his lips.

I leaned against my truck, "I think I forgot how," I sighed. "It started with my mother when I first moved here, trying to keep her clean. It was like having a child. Then, my grandmother got sick, so I moved in with her. She wanted me to go to college…it was her only wish and I couldn't tell her no…and I still had to take care of her. When she died, I had already started teaching, my mother was a full time problem and then I had this place on my hands. When Emmett and Jasper saw what we could do with it, I didn't stop them," I laughed looking up at him. He was chuckling, shaking his head. "Do you see? I haven't stopped."

"You're going to burn out, Bella," he said, stepping closer to me. "Will you try to take some time…humor me," his smirk was deadly, I had never been able to resist it.

"Sure, I'll try," I sighed.

"Good," he smiled brilliantly. "Come swimming with me tomorrow."

"Ok," I nodded, "in the morning. No hurry, come down when you want. I have to work the bar tomorrow night, Jasper's taking day time duty."

"Good," he smirked, "it's late, Bella, we should go in." He leaned in to kiss my forehead. The electricity around us pounded in my ears. He felt it too, because he stopped and then kissed my nose. Our faces were inches apart, our breathing tentative. I looked up at him and saw he was as helpless to this as I was. Our lips crashed into each other, his body pressing me into my truck. Moans and breaths escaped us as our tongues twirled together. My hands shot to his hair, pulling him closer. His hips ground into me, another moan escaping him.

His taste was so sweet, the feel of his tongue taking my breath away. I broke from him, breathing hard. "Shit," he groaned, resting his head against my temple, "I didn't mean for that to happen again."

"Me either," I breathed, closing my eyes and trying to get myself under control. I opened my eyes back up and looked at his beautiful face. I kissed his cheek, "Goodnight, Edward," I smiled, "I'll see you in the morning."

EPOV

I laid in bed for a while, willing sleep to come to me. It wouldn't. It evaded me mockingly.

The feel of Bella in my arms, pressed against me…it was heaven and hell all at one time. Dancing with her was too much to resist. I wanted her. I wanted her back, but I was unsure of the future. I could see it in her eyes, the struggle. She wanted it too, she just wouldn't allow it. Why were we fighting this?

I kissed her again and damn, if I couldn't stop myself. There was something happening between us I couldn't deny, but I really wanted to talk to her about us. I didn't want to hurt her, God knows, that's happened enough in her life already.

Sleep eventually took me and I awoke to a bright day. I didn't shower, knowing we were going swimming, so I put on my swim shorts and a t-shirt and headed downstairs. I didn't see her at first and two thoughts flickered through my mind…she ran again or she wasn't up yet.

Movement out on the deck caught my eye and when I saw her, I had to bite back a groan. She was sitting in a chair with shorts and a blue bikini top on. She was stunningly beautiful. She was sipping a cup of coffee and looking at her laptop screen. "Morning," I yawned, sitting across from her.

"Hey," she said, smiling. "There's coffee if you want…" She motioned to the door. I nodded and went in to grab some.

When I came back out, I heard a loud, "Row-ool."

Bella smiled a wide smile, looking down beside her, "Hello, handsome," she said as a giant bluish gray cat jumped up in her lap. "Where have you been…Jasper's room?"

I chuckled, watching the cat rub his head against her chin, his purr so loud I could hear it from across the table. "Who's your friend?" I asked, snickering.

"This is Charlie," she smiled and for added emphasis, Charlie cried out, "Row-ool," again.

"Charlie?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," she laughed. "For two reasons, really. We found him two days before hurricane Charlie hit a few years ago…_and_…he's ruthlessly judgmental, just like my dad." She smiled, kissing the top of the cat's head. He leaned into it, purring even louder.

"How's that?" I asked, fascinated with the cat's size alone. He was as big as her entire torso.

She picked him up, setting him on the table. "Make a fist," she commanded and I did. "Now, hold it out to him. If he likes you, he'll head butt it, if not, he'll come back to me." Charlie eyed me for a moment, and walked over and head-butted my fist, purring loudly. "Hmm," she snickered, "that's interesting, he hasn't liked a guy in months…absolutely hated James…bit him, actually," she mused, her head tilting.

I chuckled, scratching Charlie's head. "I thought you looked smart, Charlie," I smirked, earning a laugh from Bella and Charlie crawling up in my lap.

"Damn," she giggled, shaking her head, "I just lost my cat to you!"

"Hey!" Emmett boomed, coming out the door, "What up, Mr. C!" He laughed, holding out his fist. Charlie bumped it with his head. "Stick around, my little dude, we may have to tote you off to Tampa," he smiled.

"What's the update on that?" I asked, sipping my coffee. Charlie curled up in my lap, which was no easy feat, considering his size.

"Path looks like it's aiming this way," Bella frowned, "but, we'll know for sure in a few days."

"Holy hell," Jasper snickered, "Charlie likes Eddie, who would've thought." He shook his head, stirring his coffee.

"Aw!" Alice squealed, coming to kneel by my chair. "Damn, he's beautiful."

"Yeah, that's my handsome boy," Bella smiled, looking at him. "All twenty two pounds of him."

"Holy shit! Really?" Alice laughed, stroking the cat.

"Yeah, I guess he's a Russian Blue…I looked him up and they get pretty big," she was looking proudly at him.

Rose joined us, saying, "Wow, we're all going swimming. Hey, Charlie," she smiled, scratching his head.

"Are we?" I asked, looking at everyone.

"Yeah," Emmett smiled. "Those two girls headed out for the day…shopping or something…and so we really don't have much to do until tonight. So, come on, put my buddy down and let's go."

"No," I laughed, "I like him." And I did. There was something comforting about his weight, something relaxing about petting him. I had always heard that owning a pet was good for your heart, but until now, I didn't believe it.

They all snickered. "He's easy to like," Jasper chuckled. "Calls every-damn-body Raoul…except for Bells…he calls her mom."

Just to make a point, Charlie lifted his head and yawned a sleepy, "Row-ool," earning a few more laughs.

"Here," Bella smiled, getting up and kneeling by me, "I'll take him in, I think we need to keep him in until we know what this storm will do. That way, I can toss him in a carrier if I have to." She gingerly scooped him up, taking him inside. He rolled in her arms, placing a paw gently on her face, a quiet, "mowm," escaping him.

"Damn, you weren't kidding!" I snorted.

"He's very grateful to her," Jasper smiled, watching her walk him inside. "Thinks she hung the moon…or filled the bowl…one or the other and to Charlie, either will do." I laughed, standing up.

The girls all basked in the sun, while Emmett, Jasper and I tossed a football around. "Edward," Bella said, calling me over. "Look," she poked my shoulder, "you have to watch that. Sun sickness is nothing to play around with. You won't feel it until it's too late…and water…_drink._" She handed me a bottled water and rubbed me down. I had bite back a moan from the feel of her hands on me.

"Girls, come play with us," Emmett begged, waving them over.

Bella snickered, looking over to Alice and Rose, "seems unfair," she said, laughing. She stood, pulling on her shorts, "Come on, girls, you know they won't shut up."

"Em, if you tackle me and I get sand in my bikini, so help me," Rose growled, "you will regret it." He barked a laugh, holding up his hands in innocence.

I laughed, wondering how many times that has actually happened.

The girls weren't bad. Bella had a strong arm and Rose's height with Alice's speed made them damn hard to catch. The last play, Bella didn't have anyone open, Emmett was guarding Rose and Jasper was blocking Alice. I was running for her, when she took off, laughing and splashing through the surf. A wave made me lose my footing and I tackled her into the water. We both came up sputtering and laughing.

"Damn," she said, laughing and splashing salty water in my face.

"Sorry," I chuckled, realizing my arms were still around her.

I started to get up and she said, "The water feels good, I'm going to get out of the sun for a few. Join me?" She asked, smiling. She tossed the ball to Jasper and he dove in as well. Emmett scooped up Rose, tossing her in.

I laughed, but it caught in my throat as something touched my leg. "What the hell?" I asked, stepping closer to Bella.

"Fish, Edward," she smiled, gripping my shoulders and snickering.

"Think it's funny?" I asked, smirking at her. She laughed, nodding. I scooped her up, tossing her in the air. She splashed down with a cut off squeal, coming up just as a wave hit her. "Oh, shit," I grabbed her. "Sorry," I said, sheepishly.

She coughed and sputtered, but a smile played on her lips. "It's ok," she laughed, wiping her face. Another wave hit us and her legs wrapped around my waist. We both gasped at the feel of it. We stared at each other for a moment, not really sure what to do, but it felt so damn good.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and I felt her tremble. Her hands and eyes were on my chest, her breathing deep. I felt drawn to her again, bending to her ear, "Do you want me to keep holding you?" I asked, chuckling, trying to break the tension.

"Oh! Sorry," she smirked. She unwrapped her legs and I missed them instantly.

The rest of the week went by pretty quick, the main concern being the storm heading our way. The girls from Atlanta checked out and it was just the six of us most days hanging out like the old days. We would drink, swim, laugh and catch up.

Bella let it slip that I was unemployed, so the guys started pushing for me to join them in Florida. The more I looked at Bella, the more I spent time with her again, the more appealing it sounded. I didn't need to work, Alice and I were financially stable, thanks to our dad being a renowned plastic surgeon. I liked what I did, but hated the way things had turned out in Chicago. I really started to consider about a change in my life.

As the end of the week drew nearer, the news and Bella were pretty sure the storm was coming our way. They had named it Alice, which my sister couldn't decide whether to like or not. The storm was making her a little nervous.

Bella had made dinner for all of us one night and the storm was the topic. It seemed the TV was always turned on to the local weather channel. When the words "possible evacuation" came out of the speakers, we all stopped and looked at the television.

"Ok," Bella sighed. "There you have it. Guys, we need to board this place up."

"Yeah, we'll start in the morning," Emmett frowned, nodding.

"I need to get the Tampa house ready, there are no supplies there at all," Bella sighed, frowning. "I'll need to hit the store before the panic sets in and people get stupid."

"I'll go with you," I nodded, not sure why I didn't want her to go alone.

"Ok, why don't you and Ed go to Tampa first and we can batten down the hatches here?" Jasper asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, fine," she said, nodding, "I could use the help carrying all that shit," she smirked. "Rose, you come with Emmett, don't stay behind, ok?" She looked up at her worried. Rose nodded, pulling out her phone. "And Emmett, you go down to Billy's. Make sure he heads inland to his sister's house, ok? If you have to roll him there…"

Emmett laughed and nodded. "Got it, baby girl. You should go tonight, beat that band that's heading this way. If you leave now, you'll be there by nine."

"Rowl", Charlie said, stretching and yawning on my lap. He had taken to me immediately and had spent most of his nights in my room.

"And take Mr. C with you," Jasper snickered. "Like you could pull him away from Edward anyway," he chuckled.

"We're best friends now, jealous?" I laughed. Bella chuckled, winking at me.

"Ok, Edward, let me have him, his carrier is in my room. Go get your stuff together, all of it, ok?" She asked, looking at me and I handed him to her. "Anything you want to send ahead of time, put it in my truck," she said to everyone else. "The bed lid will keep it dry."

The table broke in several different directions, Alice cleaning the table. I ran upstairs, pulling all my clothes together and tossing them in my bags. At the end of the stairs, Alice was looking up at me. "Do you want me to take anything ahead?" I asked, watching her brow wrinkle.

"Yeah," she frowned, sighing. "I'm nervous," she looked up at me, wringing her hands.

"Don't be, darlin'," Jasper smiled, wrapping his arm around her. "Hurricanes are a great excuse to drink and not work. That's it, that's all. It's the mess afterwards that's a pain in the ass." I chuckled at her smile.

"Go get your stuff, Ali," I said, smiling, "I'll take it."

Bella and I met at her truck, which Emmett had pulled to the door. The back was up and we threw everything in there. "Two days, bro," Emmett said to me. "We'll be there bright and early." I looked at him curiously as to why two days. "It's gonna take two days to board this place up, Rose's shop and apartment, and get Billy and Jake where they need to be," he explained. "The storm is due in three."

"Be careful," I said to the guys, watching as Bella carried Charlie in his carrier, strapping him in the back seat.

"You too," Jasper bumping my fist, letting go of Alice so she could hug me.

I kissed the top of her head, "You'll be fine, but call us if you need us," I smiled, making her look at me. We were so different in looks, personality, and style, but I knew when she was worried. She nodded, trying to smile. "Good," I said with one last kiss to her head.

"Ready, Edward?" Bella asked and I nodded. She looked out the door, "Love you guys, see you on Wednesday morning," she called.

She pulled the truck out as they all yelled, "Love you too."

BPOV

"Isn't Tampa on the water too?" Edward asked as I pulled onto the highway.

I smiled over at him. "Yes, parts of it are. But, where my house is, it's much more inland. Tampa is _very_ spread out. You're thinking of Bay Shore…it's pretty famous."

"Is that the walk I see when they show the skyline?" He asked, his brow wrinkling.

"Yeah, that's it," I snorted. "That side of Tampa floods, badly. So, ok, the last really bad storm that came close, the bay flooded. There were people jet skiing on front yards."

"No," he gasped, smiling.

"The sad part is that area of Tampa is so old. It wouldn't make it if a hurricane hit it directly. The hospital is on an island and that is the first to flood and get evacuated. It's terrible planning," I snorted, shaking my head. "So far, Tampa's been lucky."

"Sounds like it," he mused.

My house was on the north side of Tampa, technically called Temple Terrace. Tampa was full of neighborhoods like these. As we drove down, Edward was pretty quiet. I could understand, these things can be a little intimidating. "Fuck, is that a roller coaster?" He asked, laughing.

"Busch Gardens," I smiled. I saw his face light up. "You want to go while you're here?" I asked, laughing at the child like expression on his face.

"Hell yeah," he said, smiling.

"Oh, Jasper and Emmett are going to love that," I snickered. "They have year round passes," I looked back over at him. "Maybe before we head back to the island, we'll go," I urged, just wanting to keep that smile on his face. He was beautiful when he was happy. It reminded me of all the times we went to the fair, all of us running around like mad.

"This is it," I pointed, pulling in, "I want to drop Charlie off, so let me run him in and we will hit the store." He nodded, reaching back to unbuckle the carrier.

Wal-Mart was a mad house, people already getting storm fever. It took us about an hour, two shopping carts and an amazing amount of bags before we were finished. It's an insane amount of things you think you need when there is a possibility of no electricity. From water to batteries to can goods, not to mention candles, you can really spend a ton of money.

"Damn," I groaned, as the rain started to come down. We pulled into my driveway and I ran and unlocked the door. Both of us were soaked by the time we got everything inside. "Tour?" I asked, running my fingers through my wet hair.

"Yeah," he smiled, nodding and looking around. "This is beautiful, Bella."

"It wasn't," I snorted. "Emmett and Jasper are magicians. This is the living room…the dining room," I pointed, which could all be seen from the kitchen door. Walking around the corner, I heard his breath catch, "Oh, the piano," I smiled. "The old woman that owned this before me taught kids, but couldn't move it," I sighed, running my fingers over it. "Do you still play?" He nodded, smiling. It was pretty. I didn't play, but I couldn't stand to see it leave the house, so I kept it. It was a deep cherry baby grand.

"Come on, more to see," I chuckled, tugging his hand. I showed him Jasper's and Emmett's rooms that they used when they stayed with me, leaving a spare room for guests. "This is yours," I pointed, "and this is mine," I said, opening my door.

"Wow," he smiled, looking at my room.

"Jasper and Emmett pulled out all the stops on my room," I nodded, smiling, "they wanted me to relax." I had my own bathroom, including Jacuzzi tub. My bed was huge and I had my own French doors leading to the deck in the back yard. "Make yourself at home, Edward, I need to put everything away."

"I can help, you know…" He smirked at me.

"Ok, here," I snickered, handing him a few bags. "Take these to Emmett and Jasper's rooms. When he got back, I handed him more. "These are for the laundry room. Now, that leaves just the kitchen and I can handle that."

"Ok, I'm going to take a quick shower."

I made myself busy in the kitchen, putting everything we bought away. I was lost in my own thoughts until I heard the piano in the other room. I leaned in the doorway, watching Edward play. Memories flooded me, taking me over. He played everything from contemporary songs to classical. When he played "_Claire de Lune_", tears coursed down my face. He had always played, for as long as I had known him. It was something that we loved about him, but he kept quiet about in school. It was a side of him no one knew, but his closest friends.

I had to force myself back into the kitchen to finish putting away everything.

"Can I help you with anything else?" Edward asked, leaning in the kitchen doorway.

"Um, yeah," I smiled, looking around the counter. "Here, take these and put some in each room. If the lights go out, then we'll need them." I handed him two large bags of tea light candles and matches.

"Ok." He took them and headed off into the house.

The rain picked up outside, the band still moving through quickly. The wind whistled and the rain pelted the windows, sounding like someone throwing sand against them.

I grabbed the last two bags and went into my bedroom. I flipped on the television to check the latest on the storm.

"All done," he smiled sweetly, coming in and I patted the bed for him to join me. "What's the update?"

"It's still on the same track, so it looks like it will land somewhere around us, give or take," I shrugged, putting batteries in a flash light. He helped me with the rest of them and took them off to the other rooms.

He came back in the room, sitting down and running a hand through his hair. It was his tell of nerves, it always was. "Um, you want some wine?" I asked, standing. "I'm a little keyed up."

"Yeah," he nodded, not looking away from the TV.

"Nervous?" I asked, smiling.

"Yes," he laughed nervously. "How do you deal with it?"

"What? Storm season?" I asked and he nodded. "Oh, you get used to it. Plus, it's not as bad as you're thinking." I walked into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses, a bottle of red and a bottle opener. Coming back into the room, I said, "If you're thinking Katrina, well, that was the levees that did the most damage."

"I guess that's what I was thinking." He leaned back against the headboard, his long legs stretched out in front of him. I had to stifle a moan. Edward had an ignorant ability to look good without even trying. "Thanks," he smiled as I handed him a glass, "but, still…the stress of it all."

I sat on the other side of him, mimicking his position. "I suppose, but it's no different than blizzards or ice storms," I smiled. Holding up my glass, "I promise I won't let anything happen to you…besides, my brothers love storms. They think it's just a chance to have a drinking slumber party."

He smiled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I picked up on that from Jasper." He raised his own glass and said, "But, I knew I was in good hands already."

We settled into a comfortable silence, watching the news. Eventually, we started talking. Whether it was us or the wine, I couldn't have told you, but our tongues became looser.

"So, you're grandmother sent you to school?" Edward asked, pouring himself another glass.

I nodded, holding my glass out for more. "Yeah, she insisted. Said that just because my mother was a screw up, didn't mean I had to be." I laughed bitterly.

"Why didn't you come join Alice and me?" He asked, frowning.

"Um…well, I was taking care of her," I sighed. "She was getting sicker and sicker. Cancer. And I was seeing a guy, so it didn't really cross my mind. Alice begged of course." I smiled up at him.

"And the guy?" He asked, frowning.

"Peter," I snorted. "He was nice, but I successfully kept him at arm's length just long enough for him to find someone else. What about you? When Alice was begging me to transfer up to Chicago, she said something about Jane?"

I fought a smile when Edward groaned, shaking his head. "Jane," he sneered. "Alice hated her, of course." I smiled up at him. "She was sorority all the way. She couldn't walk by a mirror without looking at herself." I flat out laughed, causing him to chuckle with me. "Nothing about her was real, but her attitude. She insulted Alice at a party one night and that was all I could take."

"I imagine." Edward and Alice were fiercely protective of each other. They were best friends. Jasper and I used to think it was because they were twins, but I really just think it was because they only had each other growing up.

"I dated a guy like Jane," I snorted, "maybe we should introduce them." His half smile was beautiful. "Lucas. God, that was annoying. He would tell me what to wear, when to wear it…you see how that wouldn't have lasted long, right?" I smirked, looking up at him.

"Arm candy, were you?" He laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh, you're one to talk!" I laughed, rolling my eyes. "I remember Amber in high school. It was nice of her to add you to her collection."

"Shut it!" He snorted. "She bragged more than what actually happened."

"I know," I said, laughing even harder. "I was in the bathroom as she told her clones all about you, but I remember you showing up at my house."

"Oh yeah," he smiled, "I forgot about that. Thanks for hiding me."

"Always," I snickered. "It was my job, right?" He smirked and nodded. I smacked his arm. "Ok, I'm tired of the news. Let's put a movie on or something." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the lights went out. "Damn," I groaned.

"Hold on." I felt the bed shift and heard a snap, followed by a flicker of light. He lit a few candles, adding a glow to the room. "Better?" He asked, turning to me. I nodded, yawning widely. "I should let you sleep."

He started to get up, but I stopped him. "You can stay," I yawned, closing my eyes. "I like the company. Besides, it's not the first time we've been in the same bed. Alice kicked me out of her room more times than I could count."

"True," he laughed. "Jasper has ruled her hormones for years."

"Exactly," I said, getting up. We each took a candle to go change and met back at my bed with pajamas on. I was asleep before he had even blown out the last candle.

EPOV

The lights came back on early in the morning, but Bella slept on. I didn't move, but just stared at the vision beside me. She was so beautiful that it almost hurt to look at her. She rolled to me, her face in my neck and I closed my eyes at the feel of her. On instinct, I wrapped my arms around her.

Her breathing picked up and she snuggled closer to me. My whole body was lined up with hers, our legs tangled together. Her bedside lamp had come back on, casting light on her hair and I couldn't stop myself from touching it.

My breath stopped when I felt her lips against the skin of my neck. Her warm hand slipped up the other side of my neck and I looked down at her. Her eyes were dark, her breathing shallow. I wanted to say something. I wanted to turn away, knowing that she wasn't quite awake and that we weren't ready for this, but I couldn't.

I leaned in, touching my lips to hers softly. She kissed me back, soft kisses pulling apart from each other. With a groan, her hand shot to my hair and pulled me in. I melted into her, my hand weaving into her hair and turning her head. My breath caught when her tongue glided across my bottom lip and I couldn't help that pressing my body in closer to her.

Our tongues swirled together, slipping beside each other. She rolled a little, pulling me on top of her and I planted my elbows at her head. I moaned into her mouth when her legs wrapped around me, grinding up against me.

Needing air, I broke from her mouth and kissed down the side of her neck. Her breathing was in bursts as her head went back into the pillow. I tasted the skin just below her ear. "Oh God," she gasped, gripping my shoulder.

"Fuck, Bella," I groaned against her skin as she arched her body against mine. "What are we doing?" I was frustrated. I wanted her. There was no doubt that she wanted me too, but I knew she would be upset with this. Every time this happened, she got upset.

"I don't know," she sobbed and her tears got my attention. I pulled back from her, my breathing still heavy.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, laying back and running a hand through my hair.

"Me too," she mumbled, but I didn't think I was supposed to hear it. She sat up, saying, "Let me make you breakfast." I watched as she put the wall back up around her, walking out of the room.

I pulled a pillow over my head. "Shit!" I growled. I didn't know what exactly was happening between Bella and I, but I was desperate to find out.

* * *

**A/N…Ok, first of all…Charlie really exists…he's my cat…he is a Russian Blue, he does weigh 22 pounds (and that's not fat), and I did find him 2 days before hurricane Charlie hit Florida. LOL Somehow, I will try to get you a link to a picture…he's gorgeous and I am quite proud of him…**

**Second, growing up here…hurricanes do not really scare me, so I let that attitude carry over here…they can be deadly, but I imagine that it's like snow days up north, you just want an excuse not to go to school or work…LOL**

**Also thanks to my super beta Brits23 for her work on this one...Love you!!!!**

**Ok, review for my frustrated Edward…LOL…and keep it coming! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N…I didn't count, but I wonder how many of you asked me…when are those two going to realize…LOL…I love you all for it.**

**Ok…so the storm rages on…see you at the bottom…**

* * *

CHAPTER 4

EPOV

"That's fine, Em," I heard Bella say from the kitchen. I came out of my room dressed for the day, smelling coffee. "We'll see you in the morning. You have your key, just come on in. How's Alice holding up?" Bella asked into the phone, handing me a coffee cup. She was standing in front of the stove making breakfast. She clearly wasn't upset about our kiss anymore.

She snickered, shaking her head. I leaned against the counter, waiting to see how my sister was. "Yes, Alice," she smiled, "it's heading this way. Relax, listen to my brothers, it's going to be fine." She giggled, shaking her head. "Well, Jasper does try to encourage large intakes of alcohol during these things, just wait. You'll forget all about the storm." I snorted, shaking my head. "Edward's fine, he's right here. Want to talk to him? Ok, I'll tell him."

She put her hand over the phone and said, "Alice said for you to call Esme and Carlisle. They want to hear from you."

"Oh hell," I groaned, "I forgot. Ok, not a problem."

"Ok, he said he would. Hi, Rose…No!" She gasped, laughing. "Shut it, I mean it." I smiled at the cackle of laughter coming through the phone. "Paybacks are a bitch, Rose…drop it, I'm not kidding. Ok, see you tomorrow."

She hung up the phone, tossing it on the counter. "Stupid woman," she mumbled.

"What did she do?" I asked, stealing a piece of bacon from the plate.

She smacked my hand away, saying, "Just wait, it's almost done. And nothing, you don't even want to know the evil workings of Rosalie's mind."

"Hmm," I mused. "You're probably right, but tell me anyway," I laughed.

Bella sighed, a slight smile on her face, and shook her head. "Apparently, your sister and my brothers sat up late last night, telling stories about us. So, you know the one they told her?" She asked me, rolling her eyes. I shook my head, thinking there were so many that there was no way to tell. "The rainy football game."

I snickered, remembering it well. "Oh yeah, Eric Yorkie." I chuckled at her growl. "That was one of the biggest fights I ever had and Emmett and Jasper weren't there. They were playing in the game."

"Shut it," she laughed. She handed me a plate, picked up hers and we walked to the table. "What a night that was!" She snorted.

"What was that? Junior year?" I asked, smiling. She nodded. "This is really good, Bella," I said, taking a few bites of omelet. "So, what did Rose say?"

"Oh well, she found it absolutely hysterical that just as you pulled Eric from me, not thirty minutes later was I in a fight with Jennifer Taylor. I've never been so muddy." I laughed. "So, her question was if we played in the mud last night." She sighed, shaking her head. "I told you…she's evil." I laughed, causing her to chuckle with me.

"I remember my mother not letting us in the house without hosing us off," I snickered.

"I still think that was cruel punishment for both of us for fighting," she smiled, pointing her fork at me. "That was fucking cold water."

"Knowing my mother, yes," I snorted. "Speaking of, let me call her." I set my fork down, pulling my phone out of my pocket. She answered instantly, "Hey, Mom."

"Edward? Are you ok?" She sounded frantic.

"Yes, fine, we moved inland, it won't be so bad."

"No, that's not what I meant. Lauren called looking for you. Did you lose your job, Edward?" She asked.

"Yes," I sighed in embarrassment. "What tale did Lauren spin you?" I asked, seeing Bella's head snap up.

"She said you threw her out and her dad fired you, is that true?"

"Yes, after she cheated on me. Don't worry, Mom, it'll be fine," I sighed, my head falling back.

"Well, at least tell me you saw Bella," she pleaded.

"Yeah, Mom, Bella's right here," I smiled, watching as Bella's face lit up. "You want to say hi?"

"Yes, of course," she laughed and I handed Bella my phone.

"Esme!" Bella squealed. As always, my mother and Bella talked ninety miles an hour just like my sister. It was something they had always done. I could barely keep up with the conversation. "No, Esme, I promise, they're both safe. No, I missed you too. I will tell Emmett and Jasper, I swear. No, Renee is still the same, but thank Carlisle for trying. I will…here's Edward." She handed me back the phone and wiped a tear away.

"Edward?"

"Yeah, Mom, I'm here," I sighed, keeping my eye on Bella. Her eyes were focused on her food.

"You guys take care of each other. I'm glad you are back in each other's lives. You're good for each other," she sniffled. "I always hoped that you two would…well, anyway, call when this thing is over so I know you're safe."

"Ok, Mom, tell Dad hello," I hung up, pocketing my phone again.

"Carlisle tried to help Renee," Bella's voice sounded small. "He called in a bunch of favors, trying to get her into a rehab, but she disappeared for four months when she found out what I was up to."

"Sorry, love," I whispered.

Her focus was still her food. Without looking up, she said, "When she finally called me, she was high, telling me that she hated me and that I was trying to sell her into slavery. She was paranoid high. Before the conversation was over, she was begging me for money."

"Why do you do it, Bella? Why do you care?" I asked, angry with her mother for the torture she put her daughter through.

"She's all I have left, all the blood family I have left," she said, her breath hitching. I understood that. Charlie was gone as well as her grandmother. I stood up and knelt by her chair.

"You don't need to be blood related to be family and you know it. Look at Emmett and Jasper," I whispered, taking her hands. "They love you and they aren't blood."

"I know," she sighed. "But I'm responsible for her. She didn't start drugs until I was born. Me, Edward. She hated _me _from the moment I took my first breath, but I can't leave her to the wolves. She's still my mother."

"That's not true," I whispered, squeezing her hand. "She may have told you that, but Charlie told us that she had always had a drinking problem, Bella. I wish you wouldn't let the bad things in. It's the good things that make you incredible."

"It's easier to believe the bad shit," she sniffled.

"Yeah, that's what Rose said," I smiled as her face locked with mine. "If I have one goal now in my life, it's to make sure you see yourself the way we do…the way I do."

She snorted and I wiped her tears away, tucking her hair back. "Good luck," she whispered.

"Hmm," I smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

"Eat your breakfast, Edward," she snickered, shaking her head. "We have work to do today."

"Yes, ma'am," I smiled, sitting back down.

We spent most of the day getting the yard and house ready for the storm. We picked up branches and anything loose in the yard. She showed me how to tape the windows, telling me if something hits them with the tape on them, the glass won't shatter everywhere.

By the time we came back in the house, we were sweaty and filthy. "Pizza or Chinese?" She asked, looking up at me. "Cooking is out," she laughed.

"I don't care, I'm starving," I breathed, sitting down at the dining room table.

"Pizza, it is…at least that can be eaten cold if the power goes out. I'll get enough for the boys for tomorrow. They still eat that shit for breakfast."

"Don't knock cold pizza for breakfast. It'll put hair on your chest," I chuckled.

"Yeah, and that's exactly my goal in life," she giggled and I laughed with her. "Go shower and meet back in the living room. We'll couch picnic."

"'Kay," I groaned, pulling myself up from the table. I went and showered off the day, feeling much better when I walked back into the living room.

We settled in front of the television after Bella's shower, laughing at stupid shows and pigging out on pizza. It was the best time I had had in a long time. It reminded me of all the times we would hang out just being us.

My phone beeped a text message from Lauren.

**L: I miss you, please call me.**

I snorted and deleted it. Bella looked up at me, asking, "Lauren?"

"Yeah," I sighed.

"She wants you back," she stated, smiling up at me.

"How do you know?" I asked, my mouth hanging open.

"Only the desperate call their boyfriend's mothers, Edward," she snickered. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," I growled. "I don't want her back. We were poison together."

"Well, tell her," she smiled, picking my phone up off my lap and handing it to me.

"You don't know her, she'll beg and plead. It's quite sad, actually."

"If you get stuck, I'll help you," she winked. I chuckled, shaking my head. "Look, you have your goal in life and I now have mine. One day, I'll teach you how to deal with all these women. If you don't want them, you have to tell them."

I looked at her for a moment, thinking the reason I didn't want anyone was because the one I wanted had always been there. Right there. She was the reason I asked for help, because I wanted her to mean the things she said to push everyone away from me.

"Ok, here goes nothing," I groaned, dialing Lauren.

She didn't even say hello. "Oh Edward, I'm so sorry. I was an idiot," she wailed.

"Lauren, we need to talk," I said, trying to stay firm.

"I miss you so much. I'll do _anything_ to get you back. Daddy says you can have your job back and everything, please come home."

"No, Lauren, I don't think so," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "We aren't good together, really. You know that. It's time to move on."

"No, Edward, please," she sobbed, "it'll never happen again. I swear."

My head fell back to the back of the couch and I groaned. Bella tapped my leg, waving me on. When I didn't, she mouthed, "Help?" I nodded vigorously.

She crawled up in my lap, her mouth by my ear. "Mmm, Eddie," she moaned huskily, "come back to bed," taking my earlobe in her mouth. Part of me wanted to laugh, the other part wanted me to throw the phone and kiss Bella. Hard. My breath hitched as she ran her tongue over my ear. "I'm not through with you yet, baby." I smiled when Lauren's shriek came over the phone.

"Who the _fuck _is that?" She yelled. Bella had to bury her face in my shoulder to hide her laugh.

"It doesn't matter, Lauren," I smiled, "we're through."

"Please come home, Edward," she begged.

Bella's face was close to mine, listening in. Her smile was stunning, her eyes full of mischief. I looked in her eyes, my lips close to hers. "I am home, Lauren. I'm not coming back to Chicago."

Bella gasped, her mouth hanging open. "What?" She mouthed. We heard Lauren screeching on the phone, but I ended the call. "What are you doing, Edward?" Bella asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm making a change."

She sat back, looking at me like I had three heads. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, positive. I like it here."

"Yeah, but…"

"Look. I've made some really stupid decisions in my life. My relationship with Lauren is a prime example of that. But, with this one I feel no trepidation. None," I picked up her hand, tracing her palm. "Are you saying I'm not welcome?" I asked, smiling.

"No! No, I just…Edward, this is a huge step." Her eyes flickered with something I didn't recognize.

"I'm happy here," I said softly. "I didn't realize how miserable I was in Chicago until I came here with Alice. I kept to myself, my personal assistant was terrified of me, my love life…well, you see how that went…" I snorted, shaking my head. "I get here and I feel good." I wanted to say that it was her that made me feel this way, but I wasn't sure how she would take it.

"That's…God, Edward," she smiled, "that's the best news I've heard in a really long time. Now, if Jasper proposes to Alice, you'll both be here!" She laughed, leaning in to kiss my cheek. "I'd have my whole family back."

I nodded, snickering at her excitement. "Good, because it's you that has to help me find a place to live…and a job…and cook for me…" She snorted, smacking my arm.

"Sure, whatever," she laughed. "I'll help you."

We found an older movie and settled into it comfortably. Eventually, she stretched out, laying her head on my chest, her back to the couch and I wrapped an arm around her. Charlie joined us, snuggling in beside her on my stomach. I fell asleep feeling more content than I had in years.

BPOV

They sounded like a herd of elephants coming through the door. "Shh, Alice," Rose whispered. "They are probably asleep."

"Not anymore," Edward snickered and yawned. He stretched under me, causing Charlie to scamper off.

"Holy shit!" Jasper gasped, holding his chest. "I didn't see you guys there."

"What the hell? Why is everyone stopped at the door?" Emmett growled from outside.

I started laughing and Edward joined me. "God, you people could wake the dead." I snorted and sat up. "Why the hell are you here at four a.m.?"

"I couldn't take it anymore," Alice whined, running and jumping on the couch. She squished between Edward and me, hugging us close.

"Ok, Ali," he smiled, kissing her head.

"You can't tell her no," Rose laughed, rolling her eyes.

"No shit!" We all said, laughing together.

"Ha ha, fuck you all very much," she pouted, folding her arms across her chest.

I couldn't resist her. "Oh, we love you, pixie. Shut up and take it." I wrapped my arms around her. "You're safe now with numbers…obviously." She leaned into me, putting her feet on her brother, who was laughing at us.

"Place looks good, Bells," Emmett said, walking around. "And everything is done back home. So, let's drink!"

My brothers heated up pizza and made drinks. We sat around with the TV on mute, keeping an eye on the storm. It was good that they had left early. The weather was coming faster now, the winds picking up.

I sipped my beer looking at my family. They truly were my real family. My heart just about did back flips when Edward had told his ex that he was staying. Just having him and Alice back for this short of time was heaven.

"Are we crashing or staying up?" Jasper asked, looking around.

"Does it matter?" Emmett countered, laughing and tipping his beer back. "We are stuck here for a few days, time will cease to exist." We all chuckled, raising our drinks to him.

About an hour and a half later, we were all loud and pretty close to our happy place. "Let's play 'Truth'!" Emmett boomed, pulling a bottle of Jack Daniels out of his bag and a handful of shot glasses.

"What the hell is that?" Edward asked, chuckling.

"'Truth' is a drinking game. Someone asks a question and everyone has to answer truthfully…duh!" Rose hiccupped. "If you don't want to answer or your answer is proven false, then you have to take a shot."

"Oh, Jesus," I breathed, rolling my eyes.

"Sweet!" Emmett beamed, pouring a few shots. "I'll go first, we'll go around the room." Edward and I were still on the couch, Jasper had pulled Alice down on the floor into his lap and Emmett and Rose were cuddled on the loveseat. "Who was your first kiss?" He asked, smiling.

"Danny Fullman." Rose answered. "I was thirteen," she sighed, smiling.

"Jasper," Alice snickered and we all rolled our eyes when he said, "Alice."

"Becky Patrick," Edward sighed, "I was ten, she was twelve." He rolled his eyes as we busted out laughing.

I debated on taking the shot, but Alice stared me down, raising her eyebrow. "Fine, Alice," I sighed. "Edward was." I closed my eyes at the explosion in the room.

"What?" He gasped. "When?"

"That party at Mike's house, remember? Seven Minutes in Heaven?" I groaned, shaking my head. "Eight grade, I think."

"Oh yeah," he smirked. "I didn't know…"

"Yeah, well…just forget it," I laughed. "Next question is Rose's." I could still feel Edward's stare on me, but I chose to ignore it.

"Favorite childhood memory," Rose smiled.

"Summer," Alice giggled. "Every summer. Did we even sleep?" She asked, looking around.

"I don't think so," I laughed.

"Cookouts with Charlie," Jasper sighed. We all nodded and smiled.

"The fair," I smiled. "Going every time it came around. Which reminds me, Edward wants to go to Busch Gardens."

"Sweet!" Emmett and Jasper laughed, bumping fists. I looked at Edward and raised an eyebrow and he chuckled.

"Camping," Edward smiled. "Talk about never sleeping." I snickered and nodded.

"Charlie giving us a car…even though we had to share it," Emmett smiled. "That rocked, the freedom."

"My turn," Alice giggled, "Worst lie you ever told."

"Let me see your ID, you don't look twenty one," Jasper laughed and we all joined him.

"Of course, that car makes you look sexy," Rose snickered.

"I told Charlie one time that I hadn't been drinking and driving," Emmett shook his head. "I hated it."

"He knew, bro," Jasper sighed, "sorry, dude." Emmett nodded, looking down.

"I lied to my boss about dating his daughter," Edward laughed.

All eyes fell on me. Biting my lip, I picked up the shot and downed it. I winced at the bite, but slammed the glass back down. I wasn't telling my lie. "Not a chance," I mumbled. The worse lie I told was telling Edward I didn't love him, didn't want him. It was a lie then and it was a lie now. I wasn't talking about it.

"Oh, first shot down," Jasper smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He knew, but he would never say anything. "Next question…what do you find sexy in the opposite sex?"

"Humor," Rose smiled over at Emmett.

"Sexy is when they don't think they are sexy," Edward smirked.

"True," Jasper snickered.

"Strong will," Emmett smiled.

Alice laughed. "That little v thing at men's hips. God, that's just hot!" She giggled as Jasper tickled her.

Rose and I laughed and nodded. "Yeah, true. Um…the right words in the right tone of voice. My question, right?" They all nodded. "Ok…" I mused. Knowing I wouldn't have to answer, I smiled. "Who was your first…the _first _first?"

We all rolled our eyes when Jasper and Alice said each other.

"Amber Foley," Emmett boomed.

"Oh for fuck's sake," I growled, "not you too!"

"She was such a skank," Alice sneered, shaking her head.

"Bella was my first," Edward said, not looking up from his hands.

"No," I gasped, shaking my head. "That's not true," I breathed.

"Dude, your rep started way before that," Jasper laughed. "Way before the summer we graduated."

"Come on, Eddie," Emmett smiled, but stopped. "Holy shit, you're not lying."

"No, I'm not," he shook his head. "My reputation had a life of its own."

The wind chose that moment to pick up, the rain spattering against the windows. The air rushed out of my lungs and I took a deep draw on the beer in my hands. My hands were shaking.

"Eddie, your question," Emmett urged, trying to break the silence.

"Name the scariest movie for you," he asked, but I knew his eyes were on me.

"_The Shining_," Emmett shivered. "All work and no play…ugh, scary shit, dude."

"_Saw_," Rose grimaced. "That shit was disgusting."

"_Seven_," Jasper growled. "I can't imagine the seven deadly sins, much less see people killed by them…Gluttony was disturbing." He shuddered and Alice rubbed his arm.

"_Carrie_," I frowned. "Her mother was fucking evil." I was pulling the label off my beer, dropping inside the empty bottle.

"_It_," Alice groaned.

"Still?" Emmett laughed. "They all float down here," he growled in a nasty voice.

"Shut it!" Alice squealed, putting her hands over her ears. "It's not fucking funny. Clowns are the devil, I swear!"

"You'll float too," Edward and Emmett laughed.

"Jesus, did you guys torture her with that movie or something?" Rose snickered.

"Yes," Alice growled. "I hate fucking clowns."

"I'm going to bed," I snapped, standing. I needed to be alone. I didn't know why it was bothering me that I was Edward's first. I had always assumed he was much more experienced than me by the time we had gotten together. I couldn't fault him for lying, God knows, but my head, my heart was hurting.

I was walking through the dining room when a bright flash went off outside and the power went out. I couldn't see where I was going and slammed my baby toe into one of the dining chairs. "Ow, fuck!" I cried, tears rolling down my face. I sat down, holding my foot.

"Bella?" I heard cries from the living room. Instantly, I was surrounded by candles and flashlights.

"What happened?" Alice asked, kneeling down to me.

"My toe," I sobbed. I wasn't crying about my toe, but there wasn't anything I could do to stop it.

"Come on," Edward crooned, picking me up. He carried me to my room and set me gently on the bed. He lit candles and picked up a flashlight. "Let me see it." He picked up my foot, holding the light over it. My tears continued to flow and I couldn't look at him. "I don't think it's broken, Bella."

I shrugged, jerking my foot from him and tucking up underneath me. The wind howled outside and something crashed against the side of the house. I jumped, wrapping my arms around my knees.

"Bells," I heard from the doorway. "We're all going to bed, we'll see you in a few hours," Jasper said quietly, closing my door. I heard whispers and doors closing, but Edward sat down in front of me.

"You aren't crying about your toe," he frowned, taking my hand.

"Let it go," I sniffled. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does. You're mad, because I didn't tell you…that you found out this way," he sighed.

"I have no right to be mad, Edward." I wiped my face, sniffling again. "Shocked, yes…mad, no."

"What shocks you?" He asked, almost sounding angry.

"You got really pissed that day, thinking I would lose my virginity to some random guy, so I'm a little surprised that you would…well, with me. Why?" I asked, tucking my hair back.

"Quid Pro Quo, Bella," he frowned, "I'll answer that if you will answer something for me. What's that lie you wouldn't tell out there?" He pointed to the door.

"No," I shook my head. "Not a chance. I can't. You…just…no."

"Tell me and I will tell you why you were my first," he pleaded, grabbing my shoulders and bringing his face close to mine.

"You'll hate me," I whispered, looking away from his perfect face.

"It'll never happen," he countered quickly. "Say it, please."

"My lie…the biggest lie I ever told?" I whispered. "It was telling you I didn't love you." The air rushed out of me and the tears started falling. "I did it so you wouldn't waste your life with me. I wasn't worth giving everything up for. My lie killed me, it still kills me. I'm so sorry." My tears blurred my vision.

"Oh God, Bella," he groaned, putting his forehead to mine. "What is it about yourself that you hate so much? You were my first, because I wanted you to be. I had _always _wanted you to be. I thought I was dreaming that day, love."

"But, all those girls," I whispered, looking at him.

"Nothing, Bella," he growled, "they all meant nothing. I wasn't even comfortable around them…any of them. You should know, you had to save me from them on a daily basis." He smiled sweetly. "I was only ever comfortable around you. Don't you get it? Don't you understand how special you are?"

I shook my head. "I'm not."

"_You are_," he growled. "You're smart and…oh my God, sweet. You do things for people without question. You're funny and quick. You're so fucking sexy and incredibly beautiful…and I can't stay away from you anymore. I missed you. I loved you then and I love you now. I can't fight it, Bella, please."

My breath hitched, a whimper caught in my throat. I looked away from him. I felt naked, every emotion that I had hidden was on the surface. My wall was crumbling and I started to shake. "Edward," I whispered, "I'm so sorry." He backed away from me slightly, his eyes showing his pain. "I'm sorry I lied. I could never not love you…I think I've loved you my whole life…"

His hands moved from my shoulder to my face. "I'm going to kiss you and we aren't going to stop this time," he smiled slightly. Low light from the candles shadowed his face, making his eyes look black. I reached up, cupping his face and feeling the slight scruff on his skin. All I could do was nod, my ability to speak had flown out the window into the storm.

His lips touched mine softly and pulled back, only to do it again. Our breathing was shallow as our eyes searched each other's faces. I leaned forward, putting a hand on his shoulder, touching his lips with mine again and slipping my other hand into his hair. I sat up on my knees, feeling his hands on my waist and pulling me closer to him. God, I wanted more. I needed more.

With one last look in his eyes, I turned my head, taking his bottom lip as he took my top. I whimpered when his tongue traced along my mouth and we both moaned as our tongues met. My eyes rolled back when our tongues swirled together.

His hands were everywhere, caressing my back, my waist, my bottom. I leaned into him more, deepening the kiss. His taste, his smell, the feel of him touching me was not enough. "More, baby," I whispered against his lips. "I need to feel you."

He pulled back, his hands snaking under my shirt and he swiftly removed it and my bra. I reached down to the bottom of his shirt and tugged it up, tossing it away. Our lips crashed again as our hands moved over each other, rememorizing what we had forgotten and learning what had changed in our time apart.

Edward slowly pushed me back, laying me down and hovering over me. His lips never left mine. He lowered himself between my legs, planting his elbows on each side of my head to keep his weight off of me, but I could feel everything. I could feel his arousal through our shorts and his skin on mine was blazing hot.

My hands traveled down his shoulders, digging into the muscles of his back and stopping just above the waistband of his shorts. Edward was all muscle now, no longer the lean boy, but all toned man.

I tangled my legs with his, causing him to buck his hips into me. I broke from his mouth with a gasp. "Jesus," I breathed, unable to stop my own hips from rising up to meet him. The friction was delicious as we both moaned.

He backed away to the side, kissing down my neck, his tongue laving along my shoulder and collarbone. When his thumb brushed my nipple, my back arched into him. He pulled back completely. He cupped both of my breasts, saying, "Jesus, Bella, you are exquisite." I moaned at his touch.

He bent down, placing a sweet, open mouthed kiss at the swell of my breast, only to trail his tongue down to encircle my nipple. His other hand palmed my other breast, raising the nipple to a painful point under his hand. He did the same to the other side.

I was writhing under him, my body craving more and more. No one could do this to me. I had been with a few men after Edward, but none of them could bring me to this point. He had owned me since our first time that summer.

His hands slid down my sides to the waist of my shorts. He looked up at me for permission he didn't need. I was far too gone to have stopped him anyway. I nodded, lifting my hips as he pulled them down and off of me. His breath caught and he stared unabashedly at me. "Edward," I groaned, "stare later, please."

His half smile was beautiful. "Sorry, love, I couldn't help it," he whispered, bending down to kiss my stomach just below my bellybutton. "You're so perfect," he groaned against my skin. My head flew back to the pillow when I felt his tongue on my thigh, trailing closer to where I needed him the most.

When he lifted my leg over his shoulder and his tongue finally slid through my heated center, my whole body raised off the bed. "Fuck, don't stop," I cried out. His moan into me sent vibrations through my whole body. I bucked again against my will.

He licked and sucked at my skin, slipping two fingers into me. He laved his tongue flat over my clit at the same time he curled his fingers and I shattered around him. "Oh, fuck," I gasped, fisting the sheets. Placing one last kiss to my thigh, he crawled up my body as I shivered under him.

"Cold?" He asked, kissing my neck. I shook my head no as I rolled him over.

"My turn," I smiled, using his words from the night in the bar. I straddled his waist, running my hands up his glorious torso. I bent to kiss him, relishing the feel of his skin against mine again. I kissed down the side of his jaw, rubbing my nose along his scruff. "I like that," I smiled against his skin. His laugh came out in a huff.

I kissed and licked down the center of his chest, taking in his taste. When I got to the waist of his shorts, I couldn't stop myself from dragging my tongue up the v of his abdomen and he groaned. I unbuttoned his shorts, pulling them down and tossing them aside. I almost cried at the site before me. Edward in black boxer briefs, laying in my bed. It felt like a dream.

I slid my palms up his thighs to grasp the top of his underwear. I removed them slowly, hearing Edward growl, "Bella, stop teasing, please."

"Sorry, baby," I smiled, wrapping my hand around his very prominent erection. "I couldn't help it." I ran my thumb over his tip, spreading his juices around. I bent down, taking him in my mouth.

"Oh my God, Bella," he gasped, gripping the sheets. "Fuck, that feels so good," he moaned, his head flying back. I hummed against him, causing him to twitch in my mouth. I licked around him, lightly dragging my teeth up and down. I gripped him at his base and pumped at the same time, loving the sounds that were coming from him. "I'm close, love," he breathed. With one more long, sucking lick, he came. "Fuck, baby," he cried, his hips rising up. I swallowed quickly, tasting his salty sweetness.

"I'm so not done with you yet," he growled, dragging me up his body. His lips crashed into mine and I whimpered at the passion that I could feel coming from him. He rolled us again, trapping me under him and I wrapped my legs around him. He broke from my mouth, pressing his forehead to mine. "I love you, Bella," he smiled so sweetly, "I really do. I don't think I ever stopped."

"Me either," I breathed, cupping his face. He kissed me again, both of us moaning. I couldn't get enough of his skin. I couldn't touch him enough. It was like I was making sure he was really there. As we kissed, I ran my hands up his chest to his shoulders, gripping him to me. With my palms flat, I reveled in the smoothness of his back all the way to his ass. My breath caught at the feel of every muscle, every dip.

We broke away with a gasp for air, but our lips never left skin. I left open mouthed kisses down his neck, lightly nipping at his collarbone with my teeth. Edward was swirling his tongue down my neck. "God, I forgot how good your skin feels against mine," he whispered, running his hands up and down my sides.

With a hand lifting my hip slightly, he groaned as he entered me slowly. "Oh God," I gasped, my eyes rolling back at the feel of him. He was bigger than he was before and definitely bigger than I had ever been with. His kisses seared my neck as he thrust into me over and over. My hips rose to meet him and soon we were both covered in a sheen of sweat. We were gasps and grunts, lips and tongues.

The feel of being together after this length of time was sensory overload. The comfort, the feel of Edward was exactly the same. There was never any nerves with the two of us. But, the swivel of his hips, the grip of his hands that was all new and my breath would catch each time he did it. "Edward," I moaned almost in frustration, thrusting my hips up with his. I couldn't get enough of him.

"I know, baby," he breathed, "you feel like a dream." I nodded, knowing he understood.

"Jesus," I growled as he sat back on his knees, lifting my hips and plunging into me. His grip was firm on my bottom, his muscles rolled with every thrust. He slipped his thumb over my nub and I cried out, gripping the sheets. "Fuck," I breathed just looking at him as he applied just the right pressure to me. "Holy hell," my eyes clenched shut as I came around him.

Edward didn't stop, but hovered back over me, kissing me until I couldn't breathe. He took my hands, linking our fingers and planting them above my head. I squeezed his hands, remembering our first time. I groaned at the tightening of my stomach again as he swiveled his hips. He was hitting me perfectly. "Come for me one more time, love," he breathed, pressing his head against mine. "Let it go…for me," he whispered.

His velvet voice did it. Crashing around him, I called his name like a prayer. With a few more thrusts, Edward came, saying, "Oh fuck, Bella."

He let go of my hands, sliding out of me. He yanked the covers up around us and pulled my back to his chest, holding me tightly. I felt his kisses on my head, neck and shoulders.

I had just realized that the storm was still raging outside. The wind was whistling through the trees and the rain splattered against the house. It was comforting and yet a little scary. The sun had risen already, but you could barely tell it from the clouds outside.

"You ok, love?" He whispered, kissing my shoulder.

"Yeah," I nodded, bringing his hand up to kiss it. "Are you really moving here?" I whispered, not wanting my insecurity to ruin things, but unable to stop from asking.

"I just got you back," he smiled against my neck. "Yes, of course I am."

"Good," I smiled, "then, I think I've found you a place to live. The rent's cheap and the food's pretty good."

He chuckled behind me, burying his face in my hair. "Are you sure, baby?"

"I just got you back," I mimicked him, causing another chuckle. "Do you think I want you away from me?"

"Not if you are feeling the same way I am, love," he smiled into my shoulder.

I just nodded and sighed, closing my eyes in happiness for the first time in years. I fell asleep to the sound of Edward's steady breathing and soothing heartbeat, his arms securely wrapped around me.

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**A/N…I know…this will be a fifty/fifty split…some will think it's too soon…the rest of you will think it's about damn time…LOL **

**Much thanks to Brits23 for her untouchable beta skills…Love you…**

**Ok, reviews…I gotta have my reviews…**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N…Ok, just FYI…you guys rock and I was totally wrong. Apparently, it wasn't too soon for my little separated couple. Thanks for letting me know.**

**Now, this is just a little fun chapter…I hope you enjoy it. I'll see you at the bottom…**

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CHAPTER 5

EPOV

I awoke to the rain still coming down with force outside, thinking it was all a dream until my beautiful girl curled into my chest. I couldn't stop the smile that spread on my face.

I looked around the room, seeing that the power was still out. The room was warm, but there wasn't a force of nature that could have pulled me away from her at the moment. She squirmed again, laying her head on my chest and throwing her arm across me. My hand started tracing lazy lines over her bare shoulder.

Being with my Bella again was indescribable. It had been six years, but she still fit with me perfectly like no one else did. She still brought things out in me that no one else _ever _did. I wasn't lying when I said I was moving here, there wasn't anything that felt better than being back together with her. Even if she had rejected me, I would have moved anyway. Being back with the friends I grew up with had changed me for the better. I would have given her friendship if that was what she wanted, but my expectations were low. My heart was soaring now.

"You knew, didn't you?" Bella whispered against my chest. "You knew I lied."

"Yes, love," I answered, wrapping both arms around her.

"How can you not hate me?" She asked, looking up at me, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Because I get it," I sighed, wiping away a tear that spilled over. "We were young, Bella. I was working to get Charlie to let you come, but I needed to go to school. I wish it had worked out differently, but I wouldn't change last night for anything."

She sighed, smiling. I could see the relief wash over her. "How did you find out?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Your brothers ratted you out," I teased, chuckling as she rolled her eyes. "The night you ran away, I couldn't figure out what happened and they explained it." I could see her blush with embarrassment. "They love you…they just wanted you to be happy. Apparently, they've been worried for some time." She nodded, closing her eyes.

"I kept busy," she whispered, tracing her finger along my chest. "It helped me not to think of you. It was useless, because I talked to Alice just about every day." I smiled and nodded, understanding the concept immediately.

"Hmm," I mused, "maybe that's why my personal assistant hated me. I stayed long hours into the night, sometimes keeping her there."

"Cruel, Edward," she teased. "But, who am I to judge? Look at what I do to Emmett and Jasper. I really should think about hiring more help at the inn."

"Yes, you should. How else will I get time with you?" I asked, rolling us to our sides.

"I really have to pee," she laughed, burying her face in my shoulder. I couldn't help but laugh with her. "I'll be right back." She got up, pulling my shirt over her and I had to close my eyes to the sight. Seeing her in my shirt had always done something to me.

I sat up, pulling on my underwear. "Tag out," I smiled as she came back in the room.

"Ok," she snickered, "if you want to brush your teeth, you can use my toothbrush. But, don't use the water from the tap. Use the bottled water that's in there. The storms stir stuff up in the reserves. The news will give the all clear in a few days."

"Ok, baby," I nodded. I did use her toothbrush and splashed some water on my face, running my fingers through my hair. When I came back into the room, I heard her groan. "What?" I asked, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed.

"God, Edward," she snickered, her brow knitted together. "Do you even know how good you look?" I snorted and shrugged.

"I guess we're even, love," I smiled. "Cause you are driving me insane in my shirt." I tugged on the sleeve. She reached out and pinched me, hard. "Ow! What the hell?" I laughed, rubbing my side.

"I was just making sure I wasn't dreaming," she giggled.

"Shit! You're supposed to pinch yourself, silly girl," I said, launching myself at her and tickling her. She squealed, writhing under me.

"Ok, ok!" She gasped, laughing. I couldn't stop myself. I kissed her, both of us sighing into each other. As our kiss was deepening, I snapped to reality.

I pulled back, looking at her. "Love, we didn't…use any protection last night. I mean I'm clean, but what about…"

She smiled, rubbing her thumb over my eyebrow. "It's fine. I'm on the shot and I'm clean too. I had a scare a few years back, so I never did anything unless they were protected."

"What happened?" I asked, pulling her into my lap and sighing with relief at the same time.

"Oh, it was not long after I moved here," she rolled her eyes. "I was seeing a guy that ended up having multiple partners of both sexes," she wrinkled her nose and I couldn't help but kiss it. "So, I didn't take any chances after that. I got tested and never let it happen again." She said it so firmly that I wondered what she had said to the poor schmuck that had put her in that situation. "Jasper kicked his ass…if you're wondering." I laughed, shaking my head. God, I loved her brothers.

"Good," I smiled.

"It's going to be a long day indoors," she sighed, looking out the windows. "The power's still out, but I can try and make coffee. It will just take a while."

We got up and dressed, Bella throwing her hair in a ponytail. We wandered into the kitchen. The house was quiet, except for the sound of the weather outside. Everyone else was still asleep it seemed.

I leaned against the counter, just trying to stay out of her way. Bella poured some bottled water into a pot. Lighting five or six tea candles, she pushed them under the burner of the stove. Setting the pot over them, she turned around and put a filter in the coffee maker, adding coffee grounds. "How do you know how to do all of that?" I asked, snickering.

"You learn quickly. It takes forever to heat something up that way, but there are only so many cold cans of Spaghettios that a girl can take," she laughed quietly. "There was a summer where there was one storm after another…and it was just a pain in the ass." I laughed, shaking my head. "Tonight, if the weather is better…whether the power is out or not…we'll get Emmett to grill out."

"Sounds good," I smiled, leaning into her against the counter. She wrapped her arms up around my neck. I reached down, cupping her bottom, and lifted her to the top. "I'm having a hard time not touching you, love," I smiled down at her.

"Hmm," she smiled, leaning in to kiss my jaw and rubbing her cheek along mine. "I think I can relate." She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me closer. My hands gripped her bottom as we leaned in. Our kiss was slow, sensual. My tongue slid along hers and she turned her head, weaving her fingers in my hair. God, I forgot how much I loved that.

"Well, it's about fucking time," we heard Alice from the doorway. We broke apart with a gasp, looking over to see all four of them standing there with goofy grins on their faces. Bella snorted and looked up at me.

"Yeah, we debated on handcuffing you two together, so that you would finally realize," Rose laughed, winking at Bella. "Please tell me there's some sort of caffeine."

"There will be, give me time," Bella snorted.

"Ed, can I talk to you for a moment?" Jasper said from the doorway.

"Jazz, don't you dare!" Bella growled. "It's not necessary and you know it."

"Shut it, Bells," Emmett smiled. "It's a tradition and _you know that_."

"Fuckers," she sneered. She turned to me, rolling her eyes. "They are about to give you the 'don't mess with the little sister' speech." I laughed, shaking my head.

"I've given that speech, guys," I snorted, but I followed them out anyway.

I followed them into Jasper's room and he turned to me smiling. "No, we're not," he laughed. "I just like to mess with her. You of all people I trust with her."

"Yeah, dude," Emmett laughed, smacking my back. "You've been in as many fights for her as we have." His laugh couldn't be contained.

"Then, what?" I laughed with them.

"Do you still play the piano, man?" Jasper asked, his face going serious.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Good, I need a favor," he smiled, "and your permission, bro." He held out a small, black box and I instantly knew what it was.

"Nice, man, seriously," I smiled. "You don't need my permission, Ali loves you. She always has. When and what song?" I asked, hoping it was something I knew.

"Tonight," he breathed and he looked like he was sweating. "_To Make You Feel My Love"_ by Garth Brooks. I know it's cheesy, but…"

"Not at all, beautiful piano work, actually," I said seriously. "Bella wants to grill out, it's perfect."

"I just want our 'family' to be there," he whispered. "She's done with school and her internship…I just think it's time."

"It is," I nodded. "And you should know…I'll be moving here too."

"No shit, bro?" Emmett smiled, wrapping his giant arm around me. "Excellent. Bella must be ecstatic." I nodded, smiling.

BPOV

I watched my brothers take Edward out of the kitchen and I bit my lip, shaking my head. Turned back to check the water on the stove and then to Alice and Rose. I snorted at their silly smiles. "What?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

"Don't you 'what' us, bitch, spill it!" Rose laughed.

"He's moving here," I whispered. It was the first thing I could think of to say and I wasn't sure I wasn't just saying it out loud to remind myself that it was true.

"No!" Alice gasped. "Really?" I nodded, feeling my smile spread. "I _knew_ bringing him was a good idea," she murmured to herself. I laughed at her. "Oh, Bells, he was miserable in Chicago, really."

"That's what he said," I sighed, testing the water in the pot. "Just after he told Lauren that he wasn't coming back."

Rose laughed, hard. "Oh boy," she smiled. "I would've loved to have heard that conversation."

"I had to save him. Again." I laughed, looking the both of them. "That was the funniest one yet!" I giggled, telling them the conversation. We laughed hysterically at Lauren's reaction to me over the phone.

"She's nasty, mean," Alice growled. "She practically put a leash on him to prance him around." I frowned, thinking that he was so much more than what he looked like. "Yeah, I see your face…I thought the same thing too."

"You look almost crazy happy, did you know?" Rose smiled.

"I am," I smiled, looking up at her. "I feel drunk with it." They both laughed, hugging me.

When the water was hot enough, I poured it through the filter, letting the coffee collect in the urn. Soon there was full pot steaming and ready to go. I took down six cups, setting them on the counter. "Boys, coffee's ready," I yelled down the hallway, hoping to break up whatever conversation they were having about me.

They all came piling out of Jasper's room with smiles on their faces. I just shook my head and joined Alice and Rose in the living room to check the storm update on the radio. Sometime this morning, the eye had passed over and we were on the backside of the storm.

The boys joined us, Edward sitting behind me, pulling my back to his chest. They listened to the update with us, laughing when the station finally started playing music.

"Why are we listening to Barry Manilow?" Emmett laughed.

"It's the better station for updates, you fool," Rose snickered, smacking his arm.

"Barry's an excellent piano player. Listen," Edward added quietly. Only he could have gotten them to stop and listen. They did, too. _"Weekend in New England"_ played and we all just sat quietly. My breath caught with the lyrics. I had never really listened to them before. It was powerful, begging for a chance to hold and see a love one more time.

Edward held me close, linking his fingers with mine. He bent to my ear. "My mom made me learn this song," he whispered, snickering. I snorted, looking back at him. He caught the tear that had escaped and kissed my head. "I know, baby," he smiled.

We spent most of the morning and early afternoon listening to the radio and laughing. We ate cold pizza and talked about anything and everything. Jasper even broke out the box of games and we attempted to play anything to make the day go by.

The next announcement on the radio caught our attention. "Due to severe damages, the following bridges will be closed for the next few days…" We all groaned as Anna Maria was one of them. Well, we all groaned, but Emmett.

"Excellent!" He beamed. "Now we can go to Busch Gardens before we go back."

"Hell yeah," Jasper nodded. "We may luck out and the park will be dead."

"Ok," I smiled. "Alice, you asked about shopping. After the park…the next day I'll take you to International Mall. Boy, will you love that!" I laughed and Rose joined me. Alice squealed and clapped, causing all of us to laugh with her.

Emmett and Jasper were so excited about going to the park the next day, it was all they could talk about for the next few moments and Edward was looking forward to it. Alice and Rose talked shopping. I watched them all and felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

I looked and braced myself. "Hello?" I answered, getting up from the couch.

"Isabella Marie, I can't believe you would leave your own mother in a hurricane. What the hell kind of manners did Charlie teach you?" Renee yelled over the phone.

"You know what, Renee?" I snapped, hearing the conversation come to a standstill behind me. "You only call me when you are in jail or want money…so, how the fuck was I supposed to know what you needed? And if you mention Charlie one more time in this conversation, you will regret it. Now, what do you need?" I was shaking with rage.

"I'm sitting here at a fucking shelter, Bella!" She growled.

"And?" I asked, shaking my head. "I've told you that you can't come to any of my places. The last time you did, you stole from me. Do you remember? I am quite certain that a shelter can take care of you." I mumbled. "Although, I do wish them luck."

"Oh, baby," she wailed, crying in a drunken stupor. "Phil kicked me out, I need money."

"Well, Renee, you are so out of luck," I sighed. "I can't get you anything. All the bridges are closed…and that includes the one to St. Pete. Besides, Phil always takes you back."

"Charlie raised you to hate me," she sobbed. "My own daughter won't help me."

"I told you mentioning Charlie again would be a mistake. The only reason Phil kicked you out is because the drugs ran out, Renee, don't spin me any other tale. We're done here, don't call me. You have no right to speak of Charlie. At all." I ended the call and tossed the phone on the table, sitting down hard.

I felt a hand on my face. Edward was kneeling in front of me, brushing my hair back. "See what you've gotten yourself into? I'm trouble, Edward," I sighed.

"I love trouble…I don't care," he winked, causing me to snicker. "I love _you_ and you are more like Charlie than her any day. So, don't let her get to you," he whispered, kissing my forehead.

"That's what I've been telling you to do for ages now, Bells," Jasper came in, sitting at the table. "That's the push she needed. _That's _rock bottom, she no longer has her last crutch. You."

I nodded, knowing he was right. "I know," I sighed.

"What did she say about Charlie?" Emmett growled. My brothers adored my father, loving him the minute he had brought them into the house.

"That he taught me to hate her and that he didn't teach me any manners," I shook my head.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Jasper snapped. "When it came to Renee, Charlie was too laid back for me. I wouldn't have let her ever talk to you. Period."

"He didn't have to," Emmett frowned. "Technically, the court told him not to let Bells near her. But, Charlie felt bad that she was the only girl in the house."

"That's why he let us stay with Eddie and Alice so much, he loved Esme," Jasper smiled, kissing Alice's temple. "That's why Bells got away with murder in the Cullen house! Esme favored her."

I smiled, looking up at Edward, who kissed my hand, nodding. Esme was my other mother for all intents and purposes. "It sucked being the only girl, your room stunk!" I laughed.

"That was Emmett's feet," Jasper snorted. We all laughed, looking up at a nodding Emmett. Damn, he was proud of it.

"That's disgusting, Em," Rose snorted.

"I'm starving," Alice piped up. "Fuck Renee…it's about time that you told her what for!"

"Ok, pixie," Emmett snickered. "Let's see if we can get some grillin' on."

Edward picked me up and sat down with me on his lap. "You ok?" He whispered in my ear as I pressed my face in his neck. I nodded. "Baby, you're shaking, talk to me."

"What if that's the last words I said to her?" I mumbled into his shirt.

"Hmm," he paused, rubbing my arm. "Then you just have to realize that you did everything you could. There's not one of us that think less of you, love, not one."

"Thanks," I sighed, kissing his neck. How he could instantly make me feel better was amazing to me. "I love you."

"You're going to have to say that a lot," he snickered. "I can't hear it enough."

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I giggled as I kissed behind his ear.

"Much better," he smiled, pulling my face up to his. His lips were firm against mine, trying to force the sadness out of me. He bent his head, sighing into each other's mouths. My fingers twirled his hair at his neck, his hand rubbed my thigh.

"Get a room!" Emmett laughed, coming in the room.

"It's my house, jackass," I mumbled against Edward's lips, causing him to chuckle.

"Oh yeah," Emmett mused. "Damn. Still, get off that man and help with dinner, you know what we are capable of without you."

"Shit, don't burn down my house, Em," I growled, kissing Edward one last time, getting up and hearing a chuckle behind me.

"That's what I'm sayin'!" Emmett smiled.

The winds had slowed down enough to set the grill under the awning on the back deck. Emmett grilled steaks and shrimp skewers that I had marinated. The refrigerator kept everything fine in the freezer as long as it wasn't opened too many times. The wine flowed freely at the table as well as the conversation. The dining room and piano were covered in candles in order to give us enough light.

"Edward," Rose smiled, "Emmett says you play the piano." She looked over at the baby grand in the room. He nodded and smiled.

"Oh, that's right, you haven't heard him," I grinned. "Play, please?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Sure, baby," he smiled, kissing my head and getting up.

There's nothing like Edward at the piano. Nothing. He sinks into a different mindset. Esme had told me he was a prodigy at a very young age, hearing something once and able to play it without music. He also didn't brag about it. It was something he did for himself. When we first found out he could play, he was embarrassed, but we never said a word. It was just a part of who he was and we loved him for it. We respected him for it.

He sat down, opening the lid to the keys and started with his old favorite, classical. _"Fur Elise"_ drifted into the room and I heard Rose gasp. I looked over at her and winked. Her mouth was hanging open at the passion that went into his playing.

"That's my boy," Emmett whispered in her ear proudly. We all smiled and nodded at him. Alice beamed. She had always been very proud of her brother.

Next he played the theme to Harry Potter and we all snickered. When he did the theme to Star Wars, Emmett and Jasper laughed and high-fived, causing a chuckle from Edward at the piano. He broke out into _"Great Balls of Fire"_ and we all sang along, laughing like idiots.

We drifted in around the piano, leaning and watching him. He smiled when he started the theme to "Cheers" and we all sang about a place where everyone knows your name.

He played Josh Groban's _"You Raise Me Up"_, his face serious and his eyes never leaving mine. His eyes flicked to the bench and I sat beside him, feeling a kiss on my head.

"Watch this," he whispered in my ear, kissing it swiftly. He looked over at Jasper, who looked pale, sick. He reached down, setting Alice on top of the piano and nodding to Edward.

Jasper started singing to Alice, taking her hand. Her tears began to flow. Every word of the Garth Brooks song went straight to her and she knew it. _"To Make You Feel My Love"_ was a song that meant something to them for a really long time, having danced to it at every dance and formal we had ever been to. Edward's playing was sweet and full of love. At the end, Jasper got down on one knee. "Will you marry me, Ali?" He asked, holding out the ring.

She was a sobbing mess by the time she nodded and launched herself at him. I smiled up at Edward and he knew what I was thinking. It was official, I would have my whole family back with me soon.

EPOV

It was definitely a night for celebrations. Jasper was over the top happy that Alice had said yes. The wine was put away and the beer came out. I closed the piano and Emmett put on the radio. Rose and Bella cleaned the kitchen in record time, leaving Alice to revel in the arms of her new fiancé.

We stayed up a little while longer, laughing and toasting to each other, but it was getting pretty evident that my sister wanted Jasper to herself. I couldn't say that I blamed either one of them. If it were me, I would have wanted Bella all to myself if she had said yes.

I understood Jasper's request of doing it in front of us. We had always been together, through good times and bad. Emmett and Jasper, not having families of their own, always treated their friends and Bella with the utmost respect.

As happy as I was for my friend and my sister, I couldn't keep my eyes off of Bella. I wanted her alone and soon. She caught my stare at one point, and whispered something to Rose. Rose looked around the room and gave Emmett a pointed look. None of it was seen by the happy couple at all. I chuckled when Emmett elbowed me, saying, "Let's leave them. I don't think they'll miss us one bit."

"You're probably right," I smiled. "See you in the morning, man."

"Yup, roller coasters here we come!" He laughed quietly, not to disturb Alice and Jasper who were slow dancing in the corner.

Bella held her hand out for me and we snuck out of the room, retreating to her bedroom. "Better?" She asked, smiling back at me as she walked over and flipped on the radio.

"Like they'd miss us," I snickered. "The roof would fly off and they wouldn't notice."

"True," she laughed, lighting a few candles. "I'm happy for them. They were getting tired of only seeing each other every few months. Jasper was losing his mind this last time…mainly because Alice was worried about you."

I nodded. "Yes, with good reason. Did she tell you?"

"No," she smiled. "She didn't." And she left it at that.

"After losing my job, I kind of shut down," I sighed, pulling Bella into my arms. "I didn't come out of my apartment for weeks. It's why she brought me here."

"Hmm," she smiled, cupping my face. "We will have to thank her for that. I understand, though. I did the same thing when Charlie died. Depression can come in many forms. Carlisle told me that," she smirked.

"Wise man, he is," I snorted. "Are you ok about your mom…I didn't get a chance to talk to you about it again tonight," I frowned.

"I can't do it anymore," she sighed, putting her head on my chest. "She needs help. Help I can't give her. I'm willing to admit defeat. She had a counselor that I used to talk to, but there wasn't anything we could do unless Renee wanted it," she bit her lip, shaking her head. "I guess I will deal with whatever comes."

I shook my head. "No, _we_ will deal with it. You've taken too much on yourself, you know that, right?" I asked and she nodded. "This," I motioned between us, "is very important to me…us, together…everything, together. Don't you agree?"

"Yes," she nodded, her face serious. "I'll just have to get used to help," she snorted.

"I'll remind you," I smiled, pulling her face to mine. The radio went from announcements back to music and _"Purple Rain"_ by Prince started, changing the feel of the room instantly. We pulled back from each other, only to crash back again. Bella's hands slid into my hair as I guided her to the bed.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her between my legs and looking up at her. Her sweet brown eyes were dark and her breathing heavy as she reached down to pull her shirt off and then mine. She leaned into me, her lips touching mine again, my hands roaming her body. I reached up, releasing her bra, breaking from her mouth to kiss her shoulder as the straps came down. "It's like you were made for me," I whispered, maybe to her, maybe to myself. I wasn't sure. I felt her smile against my neck as I cupped her breasts, lazily rubbing my thumbs across her nipples. She arched into my hands, the sweetest sound escaping her. She gripped my shoulders, pressing closer. I couldn't resist taking one of her sweet nipples in my mouth, swirling my tongue over it and keeping a hand on her back as she arched again. I did the same thing to the other one and she breathed my name.

I could spend a lifetime trying to make her call out my name and it would never be enough. "Let me hear that again, love," I blew my breath across her chest, watching her nipples rise up for me. She called my name again as my lips trailed down her stomach, my fingers flicking open the button of her shorts and sliding them down over her hips and bottom.

She stood between my legs in just a pair of boy shorts, and I groaned, "So fucking beautiful." I kissed her hip bones, dragging my teeth and tongue across them. Her fingers dug into my back as she moaned. I slipped my hands under the top of her underwear, cupping her bottom and sliding the last bit of material off of her. I watched her as I palmed her mound. Her face was stunning as her eyes rolled back and her breath caught in her throat, her mouth hanging open just slightly. Her hips ground into my hand.

"So wet, baby," I whispered, slipping two fingers through the moisture.

"Oh God," she breathed, pressing her forehead to mine. "Edward, please," she begged, kissing me. She raked her tongue along my bottom lip, turning her head as I opened my mouth to her. She moaned into me as I entered a finger into her, my thumb circling the sensitive nub. I groaned as she pressed against my hand and I slipped another finger into her, working them in and out. She lightly bit my bottom lip as her legs began to shake.

"So close, baby," she gasped against my mouth. "Right there," she whispered.

"Here, love?" I asked, circling my thumb one more time, curling my fingers. She bucked against my hand violently, her breathing catching. Her body clenched down on my fingers, shaking with her spasms.

"Shit," she breathed, her head falling back. I kissed her neck, trailing my tongue up around to the soft spot behind her ear.

Bella pulled me up from the bed to stand in front of her. Her hands ghosted hotly down my chest, coming to the button of my shorts. Bending to kiss my stomach, she flicked them open, pulling them off of me. She pushed me back down to sit on the bed. "Don't move," she whispered, climbing on top of me. I guided her hips as she slid down over me. The heat, the tightness, caused me to groan and put my head on her shoulder. She kissed up my neck as she began to move over me.

"God, you feel so good," she breathed, taking my earlobe in her mouth. "There's nothing else like it," she groaned as my hands guided her hips up and down. We were so close that I could feel her nipples rubbing against my chest. She rested her elbows on my shoulders, her hands in my hair.

Our kisses were messy, wet, hot. We were covered in sweat due to the lack of air conditioning. I brushed her wet locks away from her face, weaving my hands through her hair to bring her kiss deeper.

Her breathing was heavy and I could tell that she was close again. "Come all over me, baby, please," I begged breathlessly in her ear. "I need to feel it."

"Fuck," she cried, her body stilling above me. "Jesus, Edward," she came, her orgasm milking my own.

"God, baby," I growled, my teeth dragging across her shoulder. Our heads went to each other's shoulders, our breathing heavy. "I love you," I gasped.

"Love you too," she whispered. "I can't move," she smiled against my neck, pressing her lips to my skin.

"Don't have to," I panted, wrapping my arms around her whole body. "I kind of like you right here anyway."

She snickered, pulling back to look at me. She reached up, brushing my damp hair off of my face and kissing my forehead. "Good," she smiled, "because I think we've both found a new hobby."

I chuckled. "Hmm," I mused, "that could very well be true, baby."

Without moving her, I reached over and pulled the covers back. We both crawled in bed, curling into one another and falling asleep almost at once.

We awoke the next morning to the power back on. There were lights on in the room and the air was cooling the house down nicely. Bella was curled against my chest, her leg across my waist.

She stretched and my breath caught at the way her muscles flexed over her body. "Morning," she smiled sweetly.

"Good morning, beautiful," I kissed her head. "I could really get spoiled, waking up with you in my arms every day."

She wrapped her arms around me, kissing my chest. "It does beat having Alice barge into the room to wake us up for school," she giggled.

I laughed, "I remember that. She kicked you out of her room and then practically poured cold water on us in the morning. What the hell was that about?"

"Couldn't tell you," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "As much as I would love to stay right here, this place will be a mad house soon. My brothers lose their minds when it's time for the park." She wasn't kidding, not ten minutes later was Emmett pounding on the door. "You can use my shower, I'll start breakfast and hook up the coffee IV's," she giggled.

BPOV

"Come on, Bells," Emmett boomed outside my door. We had just finished breakfast and I was rushing to get showered and dressed. I just shook my head.

"Oh my God, Emmett, if you don't calm down…" I growled, tugging on a pair of khaki shorts and a navy blue tank top. "I swear to God and Sunny Jesus, you will regret it!"

"Ok, ok," I heard him sigh and the rest of the group laugh. I secured my hair back in a head band, grabbed my small wallet, and opened my bedroom door to hear him say, "It's about damn time."

The whole room groaned when I turned on him. "Emmett McCarty, I didn't hear you bitching when you were drinking coffee and eating eggs and bacon…"

"Oh shit," Jasper snickered, jumping up from the table and pulling him towards the door. "Em, dude, she just used your full name…she will throw you off a roller coaster with no shame."

"I was thinking the sky ride, but whatever," I growled.

"Em," Edward laughed, "it's nice to see you are still fourteen."

"Right?" I whirled around to him, laughing. "Next time he can starve."

We all rode in Jasper's SUV, Emmett still chatting away about everything that Edward and Alice had to ride and see. I groaned, putting my head back. I had forgotten how trying my brother could be when he was over excited. I knew once we were inside the park, he would mellow out, but actually getting there would drive me crazy. It was a good thing it was close.

I felt a kiss to my neck. "You weren't kidding," Edward whispered in my ear, snickering. I just snorted and shook my head. I looked over at him, smiling. He looked devastatingly handsome. He was wearing tan cargo shorts and a dark green polo shirt that accented his chest perfectly. The color caused his eyes to look even greener. He was clean shaven, causing his face to take on a sweet appearance. I pouted, rubbing the smoothness of it. He snickered, a wicked gleam in his eye. "It does grow back, love."

"Good," I giggled and he kissed me quickly.

Once we were in the park, we let Emmett take the lead. He was pro at getting from one thing to another without much hassle.

Busch Gardens was themed for Africa, so the park was divided up into different sections, usually with a coaster as each section's main focus. The coasters are the draw, the scenery and animals are just added beauty. It's better than Disney to me, but maybe it's because it's in my back yard.

There wasn't one of us that were afraid of fast rides, so we all rode them over and over. However, after the third time riding Montu, a suspended coaster, Alice was looking a little green. "Go without me," she whined.

"We'll hang out with you," Rose snickered. "Go ahead, guys. We'll see you when you come out." We waved them on when they looked a little wary, but they finally saw where we would be and ran off again. It reminded me again of going to the fair when we were kids.

We sat her down in the shade, giving her a cold soda to cool her off. "Ok, note to self: Ali's limit is three times," I snickered, brushing her hair away. She rolled her eyes and nodded. We sat in comfortable silence for a few, watching people go by. Jasper was right, the park was pretty quiet after the storm. "Are you happy, my little pixie?" I asked her, knowing she would know what I was talking about.

Her face beamed and Rose laughed. "I think that's a yes, Bells." I snickered and nodded. "So, set a date yet?"

"I'm ready to move here, like my brother," she smirked at me and I laughed, biting my lip. "So, soon…we're thinking fall."

"Will you have it here or in Chicago?" I asked. "You know, I can clear the inn out and you can have it there."

"Holy shit, Bells!" Alice squealed. "That's perfect!"

"Just tell me when," I nodded.

"The hard part will be getting the family here, but screw it, that's what I want," she smiled.

"And the bride gets…what the bride wants," Rose laughed. Her laugh faltered, but her smile turned evil. "Oh boy, ladies, looks like our boys have a few tagalongs."

Alice and I looked up to see our boys oblivious to the three girls behind them. "Should we mark our territory?" Rose snickered.

"Uh uh," I shook my head, "not yet. Let's see if they follow us."

"You're the expert on this shit, Bells," Alice giggled. "We'll follow you on this one." I laughed.

They did, indeed, follow us to the next coaster. They stood in line behind us, eavesdropping and staring. They gave us terrible looks and all I could do was laugh. Rose just about said something, but I stopped her. "Patience," was all I said. She nodded, taking Emmett's hand in hers. Since the six of us weren't really showing any public affection, the girls couldn't figure out what the deal was. I specifically told the other two to keep it that way.

Following the three ride limit with Alice, we sat out the next time. "Watch this," I smiled. "They'll definitely follow them this time, because we're not going."

"No shit," Alice snickered, watching them eye us and follow the three boys back in line. "How did you handle this growing up?"

I smiled, "I didn't think I had a chance, so I observed when Edward would need me. Which, with him, was a lot. He's a magnet."

"True," Alice giggled. "You were so good at it too, saving him. He would relax instantly when he would see you." I smiled, remembering how he had told me how uncomfortable he was around every other girl but me.

When the boys came out of the ride, Emmett and Jasper were ignorant to the girls, but Edward was rolling his eyes. "Are you going to do something?" He laughed, watching them walk by.

"Not yet," I smiled sweetly.

We were standing in line for Sheikra, the ninety degree drop coaster, when Alice finally gave me a look that she couldn't take anymore. As luck would have it, the ride went down for a normal inspection and the lines came to a halt. I pulled myself up on one of the hand rails, leaning back against a pole and nodding to her.

Alice watched me and copied me. We had known each other too long for her not to know I was telling her to go ahead. She pulled Jasper between her legs, kissing him fully. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the reaction of one of the girls. She pouted quite nicely.

Rose was slicker, leaning back against Emmett's chest and turning her head to the side. He couldn't resist kissing her neck and wrapping his arms around her. I looked over and another girl was frowning. I snorted, shaking my head.

Edward heard me and bent to my ear. "You're evil, you know," he chuckled.

"Years of practice," I smiled up at him. "Why? You want your turn?" I laughed as he nodded like a kid, stepping between my legs. He put his hands on either side of my head against the pole, his biceps flexing. "Who's evil now, Edward?" I chuckled. "She's having a heart attack right now."

"Everything I know, I learned from you," he smiled sweetly, licking his lips. He leaned into me. I reached up and hooked my fingers in his belt loops and pulled him closer. "Mmm, baby, don't tease," he groaned as he lowered his lips to mine. I sighed at the contact, the taste, forgetting for a moment where we were. Edward did too, grazing my bottom lip demanding entrance and I turned my head, our tongues twisting together. He suckled my bottom lip before pulling away from me, his eyes dark.

"Look who's teasing," I laughed, shaking my head. He chuckled, kissing my forehead.

The three girls moved on, leaving a very happy Alice and Rose. We made it over to the other side of the park where the water rides were. The girls didn't really want to get wet, so I sat out with them, watching the tigers play. I heard a groan from Rose and looked up. "What?" I asked, looking in the direction she was staring with her mouth open.

Walking like a dream were three soaked men. "Holy shit," I breathed, looking at the way Edward's shirt clung to every muscle he had. I would have lost it, but they ran up to us.

"Give us hug, Rosie," Emmett yelled, laughing. She screamed when his giant arms wrapped all the way around her.

"Oh, hell fucking no!" Alice squealed, running off. I took off after her with Jasper and Edward right behind us.

They caught us anyway, pressing their wetness to us and laughing like lunatics. Edward picked me up, smothering my face with kisses and shaking his wet hair all over me. I laughed and squirmed in his arms, getting just as wet as he was. "No fair," I squealed.

We played the whole day in the park, only to come back to my house completely exhausted. Jasper ordered Chinese and we watched TV until late. I fell asleep in Edward's arms on the couch only to find myself being carried to bed. I was too tired to say anything, but kissed his neck and was asleep before he turned out the lights, sliding into bed beside me.

* * *

**A/N…Ok…Busch Gardens does, indeed, rock! I just had to let you guys know that. I worked there, had annual passes and lived not 5 minutes from it. It never…EVER got old! LOL Go if you can…trust me.**

**Keep the reviews coming…I'm loving them…that's why I post so quickly…that and my awesome beta Brits23 can keep up with me…which shocks the shit out of me in all honesty. Love you Brit! Check out her stories if you haven't…Show and Don't Tell is fantastic!**

**Much love…**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N…Thank you for all your reviews…I really like this chapter…I hope you do too…**

**Just a note…I talk about a place called Ybor (pronounced E-Boar)…and I need to explain it to you. It's a neighborhood just outside of downtown Tampa. It was originally a Cuban neighborhood, known for cigar factories. NOW…it's a party zone. It's a couple of streets with bars and clubs…one right after the other. They are all independent of each other and have different names and themes. So, when you are reading this, you'll understand that just because I'm talking about a club named Tantra, I am still talking about Ybor…it's odd, but it is pretty cool down there. It's similar to New Orleans…just to give you an idea.**

**Ok…I know…shut up and let us read…yeah, yeah…go on then…I'll see you at the bottom…**

* * *

CHAPTER 6

BPOV

"Row-ool!" Charlie cried in my face.

"Ok, I'm up, Charlie," I groaned. His purr pushed air in my face as he touched his head to mine.

"Mowm," he cried, hitting my face with his head again.

"Charlie, gimme a break will ya?" I sighed, getting up. I heard the shower and realized that Edward was up already. "Come on, handsome, I'll feed you." I kissed Charlie's head.

I pulled on a pair of shorts under Edward's t-shirt and walked out into the kitchen. I pulled out Charlie's food, pouring it into his bowl. He was ever so grateful as he rubbed against my leg before diving in. With a snicker, I scratched his back.

I turned to the counter and began to make coffee. The house was really quiet, the only sounds I heard were running water from Edward's shower and the hum of the refrigerator. Since no one was up yet, I didn't start breakfast, but leaned against the counter with my eyes closed, waiting for the coffee.

His smell reached me before he did, all clean soap and shampoo and warm Edward. "You smell like me," I smiled without opening my eyes.

"The dangers of using your shampoo," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist. "I was letting you sleep in…what happened?" I melted into him, breathing him in.

"Charlie's stomach had other plans," I smiled, looking down at a thoroughly satisfied cat. He was happily cleaning his paws.

"Oh," he snickered, kissing my head. "What's the plan for today, love?" He asked, softly in my hair.

"Um, I promised your sister shopping," I sighed. "International Mall is pretty cool, but I doubt you guys would want to go." I pulled back to look up at him and his nose was wrinkled adorably. "I'll take that as a no," I laughed.

"How about Ybor?" Jasper asked, shuffling in and yawning. "We can meet you there." He poured himself a cup of coffee and stirred it, leaning against the counter.

"Have you slept?" I asked, laughing at his smirk. "Maybe if I remove the temptation from the house for a few hours, you can sleep."

Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "What's Ybor?"

"It's a street lined with a bunch of clubs. Dancing, drinking…" I shrugged and turned to Jasper. "Ok, so Club Tantra or Skye?" He started to open his mouth and I snapped, "don't even think about Coyote Ugly, Jazz, not happening."

He laughed. "Shit, that's right you and Rose got into fights there."

"No, Rose got in the fight," Rose said from the kitchen doorway with a smile on her face. "Bella dragged me out…nasty bitches all over Emmett. I vote Tantra."

"Coyote Ugly? Like the movie? Where they dance on the bar?" Edward asked, smiling. Jasper started nodding and laughing.

"Not a chance in hell, Cullen," I snapped, "even I can't save you in there."

"She's right, you know," Rose laughed, pouring herself coffee. "You'll get her killed." I snorted, pouring my own cup.

Edward raised his hands in surrender, laughing. "I was just asking."

I snickered, walking out into the dining room and sitting down. "My vote's with Rose…Tantra."

"We're going to Ybor?" Emmett yawned, coming from the hallway. "Tonight?" We all nodded, taking seats at the table. "Well, Coyote Ugly is out," he yelled from the kitchen and we all laughed.

"Smart man," Rose mumbled. "So, what will you boys be doing while we shop?" She asked, laughing softly.

"Jasper needs sleep," Edward chuckled, but cracked up when Jasper shot him his middle finger.

"I need to get the tape off of Bella's windows," Emmett sighed, joining us. "I need to check her roof for loose tiles too. It needs to be done before we head back tomorrow."

"I'll help you, Em," Edward offered and then turned to me. "Do you have your laptop?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "and WIFI, what's up?"

"I need to put a new resume together," he smiled and winked at me. My heart flipped at the reality that he truly was staying.

"Why the hell did no one wake me?" Alice grumbled, stumbling into the kitchen. I giggled at her hair going in every different direction.

"What the hell did I sleep through?" I snorted, causing snickers at the table.

"At least you slept," Jasper murmured, rolling his eyes at my laugh.

"We have shopping to do," Alice announced, coming out of the kitchen with her cup. She sat down next to me, beaming.

"That shit doesn't take long…do you just need to breathe caffeine? Or do you run on jet fuel now?" I asked, laughing.

"Jet fuel," Edward and Jasper muttered. I hid my face, trying not to laugh.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes at all of us. "Jazzy, what are you doing while we're out?"

"Yeah, _Jazzy_," Emmett snorted, "what are you doing?" Edward covered his mouth, shaking his head, but the laugh escaped anyway. I snorted into my cup.

"_Nothin', darlin'_," he growled in a tight voice, looking around us at the table with a warning. "We're going to stay here until tonight, then we'll meet you in Ybor."

"Ok," she smiled, "I vote Tantra…that's the one we went to last time, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded, sipping my coffee. "Maybe they'll play Justin…" I laughed at Rose's head snapping up.

"Mmm," she smiled, "love me some Justin, now…" I just laughed and nodded.

"Timberlake?" Alice asked, smiling. We both nodded. "Oh, hell yes…"

"He's a funny bastard," Emmett laughed. "Saw him on TV one night…kid's got no shame."

"He's fuckin' hot," Alice murmured in my ear, "that's what he is."

"That too," I snorted. "I need a shower. Come on, Edward, I'll get you my computer."

"Justin Timberlake?" Edward teased when we got in the room.

I snorted and nodded. "I like his music…it's sexy, but it's Rose with the crush," I snickered. "And apparently, your sister…that I wasn't aware of…who knew?" I laughed as I opened my laptop bag. "Here," I smiled, handing it to him. "If you need to go online it should automatically connect here…what's wrong?" His face had a look on it I didn't recognize.

He took the computer from me, but set it down on the bed. "I just got very jealous over a guy you don't even know," he laughed nervously, running his hand through his hair. I walked up to him, cupping his face. "Sorry, it was a new feeling for me." He looked sheepish.

"Now, you know why we aren't going to Coyote Ugly," I smiled, leaning in to kiss him. I pressed my lips to his, pulling back to look at him. "It's ok, Edward…this is new and old…but, it's us…does that make sense?" He just nodded, but looked away from me. "Hmm, listen," I said softly, "it's all different this time. We're bringing some baggage to the table that wasn't there before. I'm pretty sure we need to talk about it all soon. I have my insecurities and I'm sure you have yours."

His eyes were sharp on mine. "What insecurities do you have?"

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "You're moving here from a whole different life to be with _me_, Edward, that's enough to give me nightmares," I snickered as he rolled his eyes. "I'm sure there's trust issues there…I lied to you for God's sake…and we both cheated on past relationships. I know that right now, it's perfect…but, what happens when everyday life starts creeping in? When I'm back to teaching and you start work somewhere…don't you see? And I understand the jealousy thing, baby, it wasn't there before."

"I cheated because I was unhappy," he whispered meekly, not meeting my gaze.

"Yes, me too," I sighed. "I was searching for this feeling," I motioned between us.

"Yeah," he smiled in understanding. "It's not out there, love," he whispered, reaching down and picking me up.

"No, it's not," I smiled, pressing my forehead to his and wrapping my legs around his waist. "It's easy now, I just worry about when things might get hard."

"We were friends first, love, I hope that helps," he mused, tilting his head. "How did you deal with the jealousy?" I noticed he hadn't mentioned the lying and I knew that needed to be worked through, but I wasn't sure if it was the time.

I laughed, running my fingers through his hair. "I took it out on your sister…_a lot_. Poor thing." He chuckled. "You weren't mine, baby, you were a friend that needed me. It was a role I took very seriously. I tried not to think about the girls at school, Edward. That's the truth. That last summer with you was easy because we only hung out with each other and Alice and Jasper…no other influences."

"God, you're right," he smiled. "I don't want to screw this up because I feel…_possessive_ of you, Bella, I mean it."

"And I wonder if that's trust or just because we love each other so much, because I get it, I really do. I feel the same way."

"I would like to think love," he smiled.

"Me too," I giggled as he buried his face in my neck. "I need to get ready, baby…your sister will burst into flames if we don't get her to a mall as promised."

"It's the jet fuel," he whispered and I laughed into his neck. "Are you going to dance with me tonight?" He asked, smiling wryly.

"Hmm," I raised an eyebrow at him. "Maybe." When he pouted, it was all I could do not to take him right there. "Yes, of course," I smiled, kissing him.

"Good," he smiled and set me down.

Within an hour, we had showered dressed and told the boys we would see them later. Alice didn't want to wait for breakfast, so the poor boys had to fend for themselves. I threatened them with their lives if they cooked, so they all opted for cereal.

"We're meeting them there tonight?" Alice clarified.

"Yeah, it's probably easier, Ybor is closer to the mall." I smiled.

"Guess we're buying new outfits," she snickered.

"Of course," Rose laughed.

Shopping was not my favorite thing to do. When I worked at the inn, I dressed as the real me…shorts, t-shirts, tank tops…beach wear. When I started teaching, I had to dress a completely different way. It took Alice a whole summer to train me on how to dress. Now, I liked it and was good at putting my own clothes together. I enjoyed my weekends and summers at the inn, but clothes had become something I liked. However, the act of shopping was tiring to me.

Alice gasped when we walked into International Mall and I smiled. It was a huge high end mall not far from the Tampa airport. With a stop at the food court for something to eat, we hit the ground running.

Now that Alice was engaged, lingerie was a joke but a necessity. Rose and I loaded her up with things that needed to be stored for the honeymoon. "Where are you going?" Rose asked, piling more sets on the counter.

"Jasper mentioned a few places, but I'm not sure that he's decided yet," Alice smiled.

"I'll see if I can't figure it out," I laughed. "He's loved the beach since I moved here, so the Keys would fit you two perfectly."

"He mentioned Key West," Alice nodded. "He also mentioned Atlanta."

"I went once," I nodded. "It's beautiful for a big city. It has all the charm of the South, but with a big city feel. You would like it…a lot." She nodded and smiled.

We were trying on outfits for the club when the questions switched from Alice to me. I'm sure they had been biting their tongues in the house for as long as they could, but it exploded now that it was just girls.

"Come on, Bells," Rose whined. "You have to kiss and tell. You two have amazing chemistry. You can feel it in the room."

I snorted at Alice's scrunched up face. "I know, he's your brother, sorry, Ali," I laughed. "But…holy hell!" I blushed, waving a hand in front of my face. Rose's head fell back with laughter and Alice snorted. "We need to talk about some things, though," I sighed.

"Like what?" Alice's head shot up. "You two are ok, right?"

"Yeah…yes!" I clarified. "But, it's so different now…we're different. I lied to him, you know, and I don't want trust to be an issue."

"It won't be," Alice stated. "Bells, he's so happy, you just don't know…" She shook her head sadly. "I wish you could see the difference in you two."

"Yeah, Bells," Rose smiled. "The way he looks at you, it's like no one else ever existed. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"I can't help but worry," I sighed, hanging up a dress I didn't like. "He's moving here, guys…for me. That's a lot of pressure."

"I think he would have moved anyway," Alice mused. "He's loved being here, but he's missed Emmett and Jasper too. I think he needed a push for change. It's a bonus that he's getting you, but he would have moved anyway. I know him." I didn't say anything, just nodded.

"So, the sex is good, then," Rose snorted, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. Alice groaned, shaking her head.

"You're killing Alice," I laughed, wrapping an arm around her tiny shoulders.

"Answer me!" Rose laughed. "If she can wear out _your _brother, then she can surely talk about her own." I watched as Alice nodded and shrugged, a smile playing on her face.

"Oh God," I groaned, giving them a pained look.

"That good, huh?" Rose snorted.

"It's familiar, but so not…does that make sense?" I snickered. "Should I wear a skirt or cool jeans tonight?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Ok, Bells," Alice laughed, "the conversation is over…and definitely a skirt."

Florida being as casual as it is, we opted for a denim skirt for me with a tank top that was fitted at the top in a teal color and adorable shoes with not too high of a heel. Rose, who I reminded, looked amazing in red, went with a dress. It was form fitting and I warned her that Emmett may actually pass out. Alice was too cute in a baby doll type dress in black with strappy heels.

We shopped all day, loading my truck up with purchases. I had a new school year coming up, so I went ahead and got all my shopping done. Not to mention new bathing suits and shorts, too.

We had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory right there at the mall. It was smarter than going to the club and drinking on an empty stomach. I reminded the girls that we needed two designated drivers tonight. Jasper volunteered for the boys and I did for the girls. It would take two of us to get all of us home safely. I didn't feel like drinking, knowing that we had to get up tomorrow and get back to the island and I'm sure that Jasper was still suffering from his lack of sleep.

My phone went off as we sat down to eat.

**E: I miss you and love you.**

My heart melted.

**B: Me too, what are you boys up to?**

**E: Your brothers are watching baseball, I'm working on my resume. ;)**

I decided to play with him just a bit. With a giggle I sent:

**B: Do you need some help with your list of abilities?**

**E: And just what would those be, love? Lol**

**B: You're very good with your hands and you have amazing oral skills. LMAO**

**E: I could say the same about you, love. ;)**

**B: LOL**

**E: You're killing me. You're in trouble when I see you.**

**B: Promise? LOL**

**E: Bella, please! **

**B: Ok, ok…I love you…see you in a few.**

**E: Love you too…so much.**

"Leave that boy alone!" Rose laughed. "Do I even want to know?"

"I was just helping him with his resume," I feigned innocence.

"Let me guess…oral skills?" Rose snorted with an evil smile. Alice groaned, but cracked into a giggle. Rose was a bad influence, but I loved her for it. When Alice wasn't looking, I smiled and nodded. Rose clapped with approval.

Nordstroms was happy to hold our dresses and our personal shopper had no problem letting us change there. "You should work here, Ali," I smiled as we put the last touches on our makeup.

"Don't think I haven't thought about it," she winked at me. "Now that my internship is over, this mall is perfect for me."

"Good," I nodded. "Let me know if you need a personal reference."

"I will!" She squealed, rushing into my arms. "Thank you!" I loved her like a sister, there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I kissed the top of her head. "You know, I just realized we'll be sisters!"

"I know!" She practically vibrated with happiness. "It's not like we weren't before."

Ybor was booming by the time we made it down there. Rose's phone went off and she said, "They're here already. They must've been bored."

"Either that or they went to Coyote Ugly anyway," I growled, my eyebrow raised.

"I'll kill him!" Rose sneered.

"That would be Jasper's doing, that shit!" Alice frowned. I laughed and nodded as we walked into Tantra.

The music hit us full force when we got inside. _"Boom Boom Pow"_ by the Black Eyed Peas was thumping through the place. I forgot that Rose and Alice were magnets for attention. We were hit on from the minute we neared the bar.

"Damn, can't a girl get a drink first?" Rose growled, pushing a skinny guy away from her. I laughed, shaking my head.

"Fine, bar it is," I snorted, tugging Alice by the hand so she wouldn't get lost with her small self in the crowd. I spotted Edward and my brothers and they were surrounded by girls. They were smiling politely, Edward looking uncomfortable, drinking a beer. "Rose!" I called, bringing her back to me. Her face was pissed at the site before us as was Alice's. "This is the type of place you mark your territory immediately," I frowned, my eyebrow raised. They both nodded, walking with me towards the bar.

Edward looked insanely hot. He was wearing dark jeans with a black button down shirt that he didn't bother to tuck in. It fit to his chest just perfectly, his sleeves were rolled up revealing his strong arms. Emmett was in black jeans and a tight black t-shirt, making his arms look enormous. Jasper was in jeans with a navy blue button down shirt that he had tucked in. They were shamelessly ogled by the women around them.

Edward was leaning away from a blonde. When he saw me, his mouth fell open and lust filled his eyes as he looked me over. The girl stepped back just as I walked up and he welcomed me with open arms. "You're stunning," he whispered in my ear, kissing the soft skin below it.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Thank you. Kiss me and we'll get rid of her," I snickered. He chuckled, leaning in and touching his lips to mine. I sighed at the reunion. It was like I hadn't been breathing until he was touching me again. The relief that came with his taste, his tongue swirling with mine, it couldn't be explained. He moaned into my mouth. I felt it more than heard it and a jolt shot through me.

"God, I missed you today," he smiled, lifting me up on the barstool.

"Guy time is good for you," I giggled, wiping my lipstick from his lips.

"Yeah, but I like Bella time better," he smirked and it was deadly sexy. "Do you want a drink?" He asked, offering his beer.

"No," I shook my head, "I'm driving…well, me and Jasper, I think." I looked around to see him and Alice smiling at each other. Rose and Emmett were in a heated debate. I laughed, looking up at Edward. "How was Coyote Ugly?" I snorted.

"How did you know?" He gasped, turning red.

"I know my brothers, they can't help but touch a burning hot stove even if you tell them it'll hurt," I giggled. He chuckled, burying his face in my hair.

"Oh, it was scary, baby," he snickered. "You weren't kidding."

"Mmhmm," I folded my arms across my chest, my eyebrow raised. "Who's in trouble now?"

"It was their idea…said I needed to go…'cause I hadn't…been…ok, ok," he pleaded, "I'm sorry!" I giggled at his adorable face. I cupped it and kissed him.

When the next song came on, I groaned. "Bells!" Rose squealed. "Come on, it's tradition, please? It's my Justin, you have to."

I bit my bottom lip, shaking my head, but I was yanked off the barstool. "Jesus, Rose," I stumbled. "Alright!"

"Oh, Eddie," Emmett groaned, "they kill me when they do this."

Rose insisted on dancing with me to _"Sexy Back"_. It was the one song we could practice moves with at the bar at home. Somehow, it ended up the song we danced to at clubs. She knew it drove Emmett crazy, I wasn't sure how Edward would react. "Come on, girl, work it," she laughed evilly, pulling me close. "Consider this your warm up."

"Ok! Shut up and dance, bitch," I laughed. I was shorter than Rose, so I backed up to her and she danced flush to me, her hands on my hips. She turned me around at one point and men tried to cut in, but we wouldn't let them. This was just for our own amusement. We were cracking up by the time the song was over.

"My turn," a velvet voice said in my ear. _"Paralyzer"_ by Finger 11 came on and I turned around to have Edward line his body up with mine. I groaned at the feel of his hands on me. I looked up at him and his eyes were dark. "Emmett had to stop me," he growled in my ear. "Too many men staring at you two, but he swore you could take care of yourselves." His hands slid down to my bottom, his hips grinding with mine.

"We can," I laughed, my arm wrapping around his neck, the other one snaking around his waist to his ass. I wanted to groan again at the feel of him. "We've done that dance for a long time, baby," I looked up at him.

"So fucking sexy," he breathed and I wasn't sure I was supposed to hear it.

I was still wrapped around him when the song ended. "I need a soda or something," I breathed.

"Ok, love, come on," he smiled, taking my hand.

Edward pulled me back up on a stool and ordered a Coke for me. We both snickered as my brothers and Alice and Rose danced to Kelly Clarkson's _"My Life Would Suck Without You"_. "Good song," I laughed, leaning back into his chest. He was standing behind me, his arms around my shoulders.

"Mmhm," he hummed in my ear. I felt his lips on my shoulder next to the strap of my tank top. "You're so beautiful, did you know that?" His voice was husky soft in my ear, his lips grazing up the shell of my ear.

"Easy, love," I smiled, turning to meet his eyes. "I want you too, but wait until we're home," I tilted my head at him. He chuckled, kissing my forehead. "And thank you," I smiled, blushing.

"You are," he stated firmly, his eyes still dark. "I feel like a caged lion tonight, trying not to touch you." He ran a hand through his hair, smiling sweetly. My whole body shivered at his words.

"Bells," Alice ran up breathless from dancing. "Bathroom break, come on." Rose was nodding behind her. I didn't have to go, but I hadn't been drinking.

"Ok," I smiled, letting Edward help me down from the stool. "We'll be back. Safety in numbers," I snorted, pointing over my shoulder. He smiled and nodded.

The bathroom was packed, filled with women that needed to go. I was just taking up space. "I'll wait for you outside the door," I told the two girls and they nodded. The hallway was dark, but I leaned against the wall, waiting patiently as people passed me by. I watched as a dark shadow fell over me and looked up to see three men looking at me.

They were about my age, maybe younger. One was a blonde and the other two had chestnut colored hair. The blonde spoke first, stepping close to me and leaning against the wall facing me. "Hey gorgeous, where's your friends?" He smiled, but it looked like a shark's grin. I was immediately uncomfortable.

"Which ones?" I asked, holding my glare steady. Working in a bar myself, it was easy to get rattled. I didn't very often.

"That hot blonde and the little one," one of the darker haired guys said, licking his lips in an attempt to look sexy. He failed. Miserably.

"Well," I smiled, "considering that I am right outside the restroom…what do you think?" I saw Rose and Alice come out of the bathroom, but Alice ran off.

"Aw, now, don't be like that," the blonde crooned, running a single finger down my arm.

"_Don't_ touch me," I growled, standing up straight.

"Come on, gorgeous," he smiled, trying to grab my hand. I jerked it away from him.

"Boys," Rose drawled. "I'm not a mind reader, but I'm thinking she's not interested." She came and stood by me, leaning casually against the wall. I could see why she had relaxed, Emmett and Edward were standing behind the guys in front of us.

I started to walk to Edward when the arm of the blonde shot out, blocking my path. "Big mistake, buddy," Emmett growled from behind him. "Bells, Rosie, come here."

"We weren't done talking to them yet," the blonde sneered, sizing up Emmett.

"Yes, you were," Edward smiled menacingly, stepping up into his face. Edward was taller and broader. When Emmett stepped up and towered over the other two, they ran off. "Now, you're outnumbered," Edward smiled again. "Let them pass," he growled, holding his hand out for me.

The blonde pulled his hand away from the wall and Rose and I stepped by. Jasper and Alice popped around the corner with a bouncer just as big as Emmett. "You're done, big guy," the bouncer said, smiling. He grabbed the blonde and shoved him off. "You're banned for the rest of the night."

I felt two hands on my face. "Are you alright?" Edward asked, looking down at me. His eyes were tight. I could see he was still fighting his temper.

"Yes, are you?" I nodded, brushing the hair from his forehead.

"I will be," he sighed, pulling me to him. "I wanted to break him for touching you."

"I wanted you to," I laughed, pulling back and looking up at him. I watched as a slight smile crossed his lips.

"I still can," he smiled.

"No, forget it," I snorted, tugging on his hand. "Come hold me for a moment and then I want another dance."

"God, twist my arm, Bella," he said sarcastically.

I downed the rest of my Coke, sighing as Edward encased me in his arms. He buried his nose in my hair at the side of my neck.

Emmett walked up to us, smiling. "You ok, baby girl?" He asked, taking my hand.

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, thanks, Em."

"Aw hell, all in a day's work with you and Rose, I swear to God!" He boomed, laughing. I felt Edward's chuckle on my shoulder. "Been doing that since you were twelve." He snickered, holding up his fist for Edward to bump it and he did.

"Ok, ok, enough," I laughed, waving him off.

We danced most of the night, Edward's eyes growing darker and darker. I could barely tell they were green. Rose and Alice dragged me out for _"Underneath It All"_ by Gwen Stefani, the island beat hard to resist. The song got played at the inn's bar a lot, so a lot of times I found myself dancing to it without realizing it.

Edward walked up behind me on that one, turning me to face him. He pressed his forehead to mine, swaying with me. "I'm finding it harder to resist you the longer you're out here," he groaned as I pulled his hips to me.

When the song changed to _"Love, Sex and Magic"_ by Ciara and Justin Timberlake, I groaned. "Song's so hot," I breathed, shaking my head. Edward's tongue snaked out, licking his bottom lip. He could see I was close to losing it. I wound my fingers through his hair, his leg was between mine. His hand was low on my hip, grinding me up his thigh, my eyes rolled back at the friction. "Edward," I moaned as he did it again.

There's a part where the song slows down. _"This is the part where we fall in love…let's slow it down so we fall in love…but, don't stop what you're doing…"_ My head fell back when his lips met my neck, his tongue swirling over my skin. "I can't do this much longer, baby," he breathed in my ear. "I need you." Normally, Edward was the picture of control, but he had drank a little more than normal.

We weren't the only ones ready to get out of there. By the time that we got back to the bar, Alice had Jasper wrapped tightly. I looked at Jasper, the only other sober one. "Who's got who?" I asked, looking for Emmett and Rose.

"Paper, rock, scissors for who leaves first," Jasper snickered at me. I laughed, licking my lips, hearing Edward groan softly beside me.

"One, two, three…" we said together, pumping our fists. I came up rock smashing his scissors. "Love you, Jazz," I laughed mockingly, kissing his temple.

"No fair," Alice whined, but there was a smile on her face.

"Oh, it's fair," Edward laughed, taking my hand. "Have fun waiting on those two," he eyed the dance floor where Emmett was wrapped around Rose.

"Fuck," she growled, "we'll be here all night."

"No we won't, darlin'," Jasper smiled. "Trust me."

We laughed at the both of them as we left the club.

Edward was quiet on the way back to the house and for a moment, I thought he might have fallen asleep. However, he reached over at one point to touch my hand. I turned it over, linking our fingers together. Just before we were home, he was tracing the lines of my palm. It was something he had always done, even when we were young. I had never asked what he was thinking about when he did this, because I was just so used to it.

I looked over at him and curiosity got the best of me. "What do you think about when you do that, Edward?"

He smiled, laughing softly. "I've always done it, haven't I?" He asked, looking up at me so sweetly. I nodded, but squeezed his hand. "Alice went through a phase when we were younger, you might remember," he started. "She was into telling the future, reading palms, tarot cards…all that shit."

"Oh yeah," I laughed. She had bought it all. Esme hated the tarot cards, because they had always seemed to point out the bad things.

"Well, I read the palm reading book one day," he snorted. "Did you know we have the same line?" He asked, looking up at me. I looked over at him away from the road. When we stopped at a red light, he turned on the overhead light of my truck. "Look." He held his right hand next to mine, turning slightly in his seat. "The long line is called a life line. Look how ours is exactly the same, even down to the break in the middle…then, it continues down to the wrist." He looked up at me with his brows furrowed, but smiling.

I looked again before accelerating away from the light and turning into my neighborhood. "Huh," I breathed, smiling.

"I never understood the break until just now," he continued, his voice so soft. "We were supposed to be apart."

I gasped, looking over at him as I pulled into my driveway. I put the truck in park and turned towards him. "You mean that, don't you?" I asked, looking at our hands again. I saw him shrug. The lines were exact. "In the book, what did it mean?" I asked, thinking I needed to go online to look this shit up.

"Soul mates, best friends…that our lives were connected forever," he sighed, leaning his head back against the head rest. "I think I'm a little drunk," he chuckled, looking over at me. "I swore to myself that I wouldn't tell you that shit." His eyes were electric green in the light of my truck. They were breathtaking.

I smiled, running my hands through his hair. "Why?" I asked, looking at his beautiful face. His jaw line alone captivated me for a moment.

"Because I read the book when I was fifteen, Bella," he snorted. "And I thought it was bullshit…it wasn't until we were seventeen that I began to realize how I really felt about you."

I thought about the way he was back then. We were truly best friends, laughing and playing all the time. When we were seventeen, his need for being saved became bigger and bigger. He practically pulled me along to classes all day, protecting himself from other girls. "Come on, baby," I smiled, "let's go in."

It was at the front door that his need became too much for him to bear. I was trying to put the key in the lock when his body lined up with mine. He swept my hair to one side, kissing my shoulder. I felt my knees go weak when his hand flattened against my stomach and traveled lower. "Edward," I breathed, my eyes rolling back at the feel of his unshaven face on my neck. My hand struggled at the lock, the key missing the hole.

His tongue swirled over my skin and moaned and I leaned back into him. "I can't…think…Jesus," I breathed as his hand slipped under my skirt, sliding slowly up my thigh. I felt his other hand take mine and guide the key into the lock.

"Better?" He smiled against my neck. All I could do was nod as he pushed his hips against my back. I could feel all of him pressing into me. A sound escaped me that I couldn't stop. I didn't even recognize it as me.

I turned the lock, his hand still on mine, forcing myself to focus. "Inside," I breathed, "they'll be home soon." I pulled my keys from the door and we pushed inside. I dropped them on the couch as he turned me around to face him. His lips on mine were hungry. He tasted like beer, lust and all the sweetness of Edward. He moaned as our tongues danced together and he walked me backwards towards my room.

We barely closed the door, before I found myself pressed against it. His body was firm against mine, his breathing ragged. "God, Bella," he breathed against my neck, his hands cupping my bottom. "You're so fucking hot, it hurts just to look at you," he groaned. His hips bucked and I could feel his arousal against my waist. His mouth broke from my skin with an intake of air and he knelt before me, his hands skimming over my body.

They slipped under my skirt and then back out only to glide under my tank top, caressing my stomach. He was worshiping me. I could see it in his eyes. "You're everything to me, did you know?" He breathed, his brow furrowed. "You always have been." All I could do was nod as I looked at him. He smiled sweetly as I did. "Good."

His hands were still under my shirt, but he lifted it up over my head. He leaned in, placing hot kisses over my ribs, stomach and hip bones. He held my waist, pulling me to him. My fingers couldn't resist his hair, gripping it tight to hold him to me. He moaned as my fingers caressed his scalp.

Edward traced his fingers around the edge of my waistband, flicking open the button of my skirt. I gasped, breathing hard as he slowly slid the zipper down. He pulled the skirt down, helping me step out of it. He tossed it aside, reaching for my feet and slipping my shoes off. "As sexy as those are, they have to go," he smirked up at me. I couldn't help but smile back at him, biting my lip. He kissed the top of each foot, setting them back on the floor.

I stood before him in just my black, lace bra and boy shorts, my breathing heavy. I felt completely naked, though, as his eyes traveled over me. He groaned again, his lips placing kisses on the front of my thighs and his hands reaching around to squeeze my bottom.

"Edward," I moaned, pulling at his shirt.

"Hmm?" He hummed, looking up at me through his long eyelashes and lust heavy lids.

"You…too many clothes," I breathed, tugging him up. He stood, his lips crashing back into mine and we both moaned. My hands snaked between us, pulling open the buttons of his shirt. When it was opened, I pushed him back to look at him. "Fuck," I panted, running my hands over his chest that was now exposed. Flattening my palms, I started at his abs and slid them up to his shoulders, skimming over his nipples and causing him to hiss.

Placing a long, slow, wet kiss on his chest, I pushed his shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. "Fucking perfect," I whispered, leaning in to kiss his collarbone, my hands snaking down to the top of his jeans. It was my turn to kneel in front of him, waiting as he kicked out of his shoes. I flicked open the button of his jeans, skimming my hand over his arousal.

"Bella," he moaned, his head falling back. I slid the zipper down, pushing his pants to the floor. He stepped out of them and I bit back another moan. There wasn't an underwear model on this earth that wouldn't sell their souls to look as good as he did in boxer briefs. I swear to God. I broke out in a sweat just looking at him.

Part of me regretted having to take them off, because he looked so damn delicious. I slid them down, licking my lips and I heard him groan as he watched me. With his beautiful erection right in front of me, there was nothing that could have stopped me. I ran my hands up his thighs, my fingers caressing every indentation of his muscles. Through heavy lids, I looked up at him, licking the tip of him and tasting what had already seeped out. I moaned, my eyes never leaving his, sinking my mouth down over him. His hand caressed my face as I took him in as far as I could go, then slid into my hair. His mouth was slightly open, his breathing heavy as his head fell back again. He was stunning to look at.

I moaned against his skin and felt him twitch in my mouth. "Baby, I was so close already," he breathed, looking back at me. "I won't last long with your beautiful lips on me."

I moaned again, reaching down to cup his balls. He gasped, "Shit!" His hand gripping my hair. "Oh fuck, Bella," he growled, his liquid hitting the back of my throat. Swallowing it down, and with one last kiss to the tip, I looked back up at him. "Come here," he whispered, pulling me up. "Now who has too many clothes on?" He asked, smirking. It was deadly sexy and I whimpered, unable to stop myself.

We hadn't moved from the door, but locked eyes when we heard the others come home. "Don't move," he smiled, his voice deep and soft. He walked away from me as I leaned against my door, hearing everyone milling around and closing their own bedroom doors. He walked over to my stereo, messing with my iPod. I groaned when I realized he had discovered my play list. _"Nice and Slow"_ by Usher started and he was in front of me before I could blink. He raised an eyebrow at me and I couldn't help but smile and shrug.

Edward smiled back, leaning back into me and kissing me softly, his hands snaking behind me and his tongue delving into my mouth. My bra came loose and I gasped into his mouth as he gently pulled the straps from my shoulders. He kissed down my neck, following the trail his hands made with my bra. "Edward," I whispered as he took my breast in his mouth, grazing his teeth against it. He moaned against my skin and my hands shot to his hair, keeping him close. My head fell back to the door with a soft thud.

I could barely keep my breathing under control as he was back on his knees in front of me. His hands were rubbing my thighs, his lips dragging along the crease where the top of my thigh met my hip. I felt him moan as his thumb caressed the inside of my thigh, feeling the slickness that had seeped through my panties. He pulled back, gripping the top of my underwear and pulling them completely off.

His hand slipped behind my knee, lifting my leg. "Jesus," I gasped as his tongue flicked against my skin, tasting the moisture inside my thigh. He did the same thing to the other side, leaving that leg over his shoulder. "Shit," I breathed. His tongue swiped from my heated core to my clit, my eyes rolling back. My back pressed against the door, my leg was shaking as he pushed a finger into me and sucked my nub into his mouth.

His other hand was on my bottom, pushing me against his face. I was grinding against him, my breathing ragged. When his teeth nipped my sensitive bundle, my leg almost gave out, my hands bracing me on his strong shoulders. "Holy hell," I growled, "Edward," I gasped as tears of ecstasy fell from my eyes.

He stood, cupping my face and wiping a tear away with his thumb. His hands skimmed down my shoulders to my sides, down my ribs around to my bottom, cupping it. He picked me up, pressing his forehead to mine and my back into the door. "I want you right here, baby," he whispered, feathering kisses on my face. "Can I do that?" He asked, looking into my eyes.

"Please," I nodded and then groaned as he slipped inside of me. "Oh," I moaned, my head falling to his shoulder and my mouth open against his skin. "God, you're so fucking big," I breathed.

"Growth spurt," he whispered in my ear and my laugh was a breathy huff. I felt his smile against my neck.

Edward's hands squeezed my bottom as he pulled almost all the way out only to push in all the way to the hilt. "Oh, God," he growled, his teeth against my shoulder. "Tell me, baby," he breathed, "I need you to be mine, please."

"Oh, Jesus," I growled. "I always was, baby." I pulled him closer as his pelvic bone brushed where I needed it most. My legs squeezed him, shaking.

"Yes," he growled, pounding into me. "I need you, Bella," his voice breaking. "I love you so much."

"I love you," I breathed, my mouth crushing his. We both groaned as he pulled out, pushing back in over and over. My mouth was hungry against his, my tongue begging for entrance. He sucked on my bottom lip, pulling me away from the door and walking over to the bed.

He kneeled on the bed, keeping me under him. Without breaking contact, he laid me down, burying himself in me again. I felt my walls constrict around him and knew I was close. "Come baby, I feel it," he broke from my mouth, trailing his tongue down my neck.

He picked up my leg, bringing it up between us, and with two thrusts, I was coming apart underneath him. "Edward, fuck!" I shuddered, my head flying back.

"So beautiful," he whispered, attacking my exposed neck. My hands were on his back and I slid them down to his ass, digging my nails in to bring him deeper. "Bella," he growled, his eyes rolling back.

"Come, baby," I moaned, "please, I want to feel it." He did, calling my name over and over. It was so intense for him that I fell over the edge again, my muscles clenching over and over.

The song changed to _"I Knew I Loved You"_ by Savage Garden as we climbed under the covers. Edward pulled my back to his chest, his arms wrapping around me. I felt so secure, so safe at that moment, that my body shuddered.

His voice was sweet and soft in my ear. "What's this play list, love?"

I snickered, feeling my blush. "Songs that reminded me of you…it's a long list, baby," I smiled as he squeezed me closer, tangling his legs with mine. I rolled over to face him after a few minutes, touching my forehead to his. "Sleep, Edward," I smiled. "Your hangover tomorrow will be bad enough as it is." He smiled and nodded. I put my hand to his face, lightly stroking from his cheek bone through his hair.

"I meant what I said, love," he whispered. "I know you think your lie hurt me, but maybe we were supposed to separate for a while. Fate?" The last word came out sounding like a question.

"Maybe," I smiled, feeling better about how he saw it. "It doesn't bother you?"

He shook his head. "I was hurt, but…this," he squeezed me closer, "is better than I could have ever imagined."

At that moment, I heard the happiness that Alice had been talking about. I smiled, kissing his nose. "Yes, it is," I kissed his forehead. "Now, sleep, Edward."

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**A/N…Mmmm…slightly drunk and needy Edward…that's just all kinds of yummy.**

**I don't know if you have noticed…those of you who have read my other story will get it, but you new folks might not…I LOVE music and lyrics…and all it takes is hearing something in a song and I can think of a complete scenario around it…so do forgive me if I continue to use it. And any music suggestions are totally received and considered…I love most genres…if there's a song you like, PM me…any year will do…**

**Ok…and for the palm readers out there…yeah, it's fiction, so I just went with what I wanted…LOL**

**Many thanks to my beta and mentor, Brits23...who made me laugh my ass off with her notes on this chapter…to quote her… "Dayum!" LMAO…I love you tons! **

**The next chapter will be in a few days…back to reality for our little couple…one of you guessed right on what was coming up…I was so proud! *sniff, sniff***

**Love you….**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N…Well it's back to the real world for our favorite family…**

**Thank you so much for all the reviews…I see you at the bottom…as much as you yell at me to update, just read…I'll chat when you're done! LOL**

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CHAPTER 7

BPOV

I looked over at the beautiful man sleeping in my bed. I didn't want to wake him, but I was almost shaking with the need to touch him. With a feather light kiss to his head, I slipped out of bed, padding into the bathroom.

With a quick shower and a change of clothes, I came out to see that he had wrapped my pillow up and pulled it to him. My heart ached with the feelings that flooded me. He was bare to his waist, the sheet covering him. I bit my lip and forced myself out the door.

I knew we were heading back to the island and needed to get ready to leave the house we were in. I walked out to see Jasper leaning in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee. "It's so gonna be zombie time in a few," he snickered at me, offering me a cup.

I snorted, taking it from him. "Oh yeah," I smiled. "I'll make them a breakfast to take the edge off."

"You want some help shutting this place up?" He asked, looking around. "I think we can do it without bothering the undead."

I nodded and laughed quietly. "Yeah, let's spare them that at least until we get back. Then, the real fun begins." The clean up after a storm was the worst part and we had not only the inn and bar, but Rose's shop and apartment.

"Emmett will so owe us!" He snorted, tapping his cup to mine.

We spent the next two hours letting our family sleep while loading up all the vehicles and checking around the house. I started breakfast as soon as I heard grumblings and showers starting. Jasper just laughed quietly, helping me set the table.

"So, Eddie's staying, huh?" He asked, smiling as he diced tomatoes for me.

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, we've successfully brought the Cullen twins to the dark side," I snickered. He smiled, holding up a fist for me to bump it.

"You happy?" He asked, starting to slice mushrooms. I just smiled and nodded. My emotions wouldn't let me do much else. "Good," he kissed my temple. "Ali doesn't eat onions," he reminded me.

"Ok," I nodded, adding eggs to the pan.

"There better be some fucking aspirin in this place," Rose growled, grabbing a cup for coffee. Jasper and I melted into quiet laughter. She was showered, but didn't look happy about it.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine," I smiled, pointing to the industrial size bottle on the counter. "Don't take them all, you aren't the only one that will be suffering today."

"Fuck them," she grumbled, shaking a few out in her hand. "And stop yelling." I leaned into Jasper, trying not to laugh.

"Go sit, snuggle bunny," Jasper snorted, "I'll bring you breakfast." She flipped us both off as she left the kitchen.

Alice was the next to trudge out, dressed for the day as well. She didn't say anything as she grabbed her coffee and the bottle of aspirin, grunting in frustration when she couldn't open them. Jasper took them silently from her hand, shaking a few out. He kissed her head, whispering for her to go sit down.

I felt a kiss to my head as I flipped Alice's omelet. I looked up into Edward's sweet face. "Morning, baby," I whispered, smiling in sympathy. He was showered and dressed I noticed. His smile came more as a grimace as he just shook his head. I nodded, handed him the aspirin and a cup of coffee.

I plated Alice's omelet and started Edward's. When they were both finished, I took them and a stack of toast to the table. Jasper was smiling and shaking his head at them all eating in silence.

I kissed the top of Edward's head, seeing Emmett emerge from the hallway. "Jesus fucking Christ," he growled softly, holding his head. He was unaware that he was just in boxer shorts.

All that Jasper and I had held in, came flying out. We bolted to the kitchen, snorting and heaving in laughter. I shuffled Emmett out of the kitchen. "Sit," I snickered.

"Yeah, laugh it up!" He boomed and then groaned. The rest of them hushed him from the other room. I made his breakfast, setting it down in front of him, mumbling something about night of the living dead. Jasper smiled, covering his mouth. Even Edward's mouth twitched.

I walked into the bedroom, tossing clothes in a bag to wash and packing the rest of Edward's things back into his bag. With one last sweep of the bathroom, I tossed the bags at the front door.

"Fuck, Em," Rose whispered, staring at him. "You're in your underwear, fool." It was as if she had just noticed he was there.

"Stop yelling," he snarled.

"Ok," she bit back.

As they finished, I cleared their plates, washing them and putting them away. When I came out, Emmett and Rose had left the table and Jasper was lugging his and Alice's bags from their room.

Edward was sitting on the sofa, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Without saying anything, I sat beside him, pulling his head into my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair as his fingers traced lazy lines on my leg.

It took a while, but they all started to come around. The aspirin kicked in and the breakfast settled their stomachs. With a few more cups of coffee, they were almost back to normal.

Loading up the vehicles was a quiet affair and Edward slept most of the way back to the island. He woke up just as we were crossing over the water. "Hey," I smiled, my brows raised. "How are you feeling?" I asked, watching him sigh and smile.

"Better," he smiled, leaning his head to the side to look at me. "I love you," he whispered sweetly.

"You won't for long," I giggled, looking up at my inn. "Look."

The place was a wreck, but still standing. The roof was missing some tiles, but nothing that couldn't be replaced by Emmett or Jasper in a few hours. There was trash and debris everywhere. Broken limbs littered the walk and sand had blown up to the doorway.

Edward groaned, turning to me. "As bad as that looks, I still love you," he snickered, picking up my hand and kissing it.

"Well, then you passed a test," I snorted. "If you can survive that with a hangover, you're stronger than I thought." He snickered, getting out of the truck.

"Rowl!" Charlie cried out grumpily from his carrier in the backseat.

"Ok, handsome," I said, unbuckling his carrier. "Let's go."

It was an all day affair that could have resulted in arguments and fights considering they didn't feel good, but it went smoother than I thought possible. After Jasper and Edward unblocked the windows, I turned the jukebox on in the bar, letting the music soothe the savage beasts. Emmett immediately replaced the missing tiles on the roof.

There was a little flooding, but Jasper had sandbagged the doors, so the clean up was super easy, the sand only needed to be taken back to the beach. Alice offered to clean the floors, saying the sunlight was melting her brain.

I made sure to keep the poor things hydrated and fed. By the end of the whole thing, including Rose's places, they were fine, laughing and joking as if the morning hadn't existed.

With all that had happened, it felt like the summer should almost be over, but really we were only a month into it. Edward and Alice didn't go back to their rooms, but stayed with Jasper and me, freeing up two more rooms to rent. I posted them as available online and soon I found myself truly busy. We had guests coming in for days at a time, starting soon, so I called a Sunday breakfast meeting.

"What are we looking at here, Bells?" Emmett asked, filling his plate and sitting down.

I pulled up the schedule, turning it around so they all could see. "We've got people coming in every weekend until the last two weeks in August…those are empty and I'm debating on letting it stay that way. Then, there's a couple staying the whole month of September." I sighed as my email went off. "Hang on," I turned the computer back to me, opening my email.

"It's time to hire people, Bells," Jasper sighed, sipping his coffee. "Have Angela pick up more hours, bring Seth in permanently."

"Yeah, you're right," I nodded. "Emmett, call them both and see what they are willing to pick up." Emmett smiled, pulling out his phone and walking outside. "Oh boy," I groaned, looking at Edward. "What's Lauren's last name, baby?"

"Mallory, why?" His face looked wary. "No, don't tell me…" He sighed, frowning. "My mother must have told her where we were…"

"Yeah, she's booked a room, Edward," I nodded, looking up to see his reaction. Typical Edward ran his hand through his hair, sitting back in his seat. "Tell me what you want me to do, baby. Deny it? Say we're overbooked? Or let her come?" I asked, looking over at Alice who was scowling.

"Is it just her?" Alice asked, a look of disgust on her face.

I looked again. "Nope," I shook my head. "There's a Charlotte coming with her…" I stopped at the groans coming from the two of them. "Ok…that can't be good. Talk to me, what do I do?"

"I say deny her," Alice growled, looking at her brother. "They're so mean, Edward."

He nodded, but his eyes weren't leaving mine. "It won't change anything, love," he smirked, telling me everything with one sentence. "The plan is still the same."

Alice started giggling. "Oh, you two could so mess with them…"

"I don't want to do that," I shook my head. "I'll let it go, they can come. But, I'm telling you…every last one of you…I won't put up with bullshit. The first time their rude to anyone under this roof, they're gone. I heard her over the phone, Edward. And Alice has told me stories. This," I growled, pointing around us, "comes first. You guys come first. Got it?"

Edward chuckled. "That's my girl," he smiled, getting up to kiss my head. Alice just giggled, clapping.

Jasper snickered. "Oh, Eddie, you should warn her or something."

"Nope," he laughed, "not a chance. I've told her it's over…I kicked her out. If seeing is believing, then so be it." He smiled and winked at me.

Seth and Angela decided to come on full time for the rest of the summer. Seth worked for me only when I needed him in emergencies. He was a tall college aged young man with a sweet personality. He was a nephew of Billy's, so his skin was russet and his hair dark. He was good at everything. He loved my brothers, so he lived to learn from them. He could check people in, work the bar, clean and repair. His sweet disposition was perfect for dealing with guests.

Angela was just as well rounded. She was quiet by nature and meticulous with her duties. She could check guests in, clean and cook, so she opted to take the breakfasts from me.

With Seth taking nights and Angela taking days, we ran smoothly, leaving actual free time. Most of the guests were there in the mornings or at night, taking off to do things during the day. Two weeks of new help and new schedules proved to be most helpful.

Alice and Edward weren't required to do anything, but no matter how many times we told them, they still offered to help. Alice helped me with my accounting, working in my office a few hours a week. Edward was amazing behind the bar, giving Jasper and Emmett time away. However, he made an incredibly sexy bartender. I told him he wasn't allowed to work without me. Girls threw themselves at him. With his usual chuckle, he bowed to my wishes.

Lauren and Charlotte were due in soon and Alice gave me the background on them. "They're cousins, technically. Some twice removed bullshit…step parents sides of the family…I don't know. But, they were roommates in college. Charlotte tried for Edward first, but Lauren was the one that succeeded." Her nose scrunched up and she sighed. "I can't tell you who's worse, Bells, honestly. They both are shallow and pompous. Lauren uses the Daddy's girl status way too much…it's how Edward got fired. What are you going to do about them?" She asked, smiling wryly.

I knew what she wanted, but I wasn't sure I could do it. It was one thing to scare off strangers, girls that he didn't know, but another thing to play around with a woman he had a history with. "I don't know," I sighed. "I think I may have to follow his lead on this one." I looked over at her and she was frowning. We were down at the beach, the inn empty for a few days. Lying in the sun was an excellent way to relax.

"Damn," she muttered, flipping through her magazine.

"Although," I started, raising my eyebrow, "if she starts shit, I may change my mind."

Rose snickered and Alice's face beamed. "Nice," they both crooned together.

"You're so good at it, Bells," Rose smiled. "It's so fun to watch…I'll be here tomorrow when they come in." I laughed, shaking my head.

They were only booked for three days and two nights, arriving on Friday night. Angela checked them in and Jasper took their bags up to the double room.

He knocked on my door, joining Edward and Alice. "They're here," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "They're asking for you two." He looked at Alice, snickering at her scowl. "Relax, darlin'…I explained that you were family friends and were staying with me and Bella." Jasper turned to Edward. "Dude, she's…interesting."

"You're being kind, bro," Edward snickered. "Let it out."

"Wow," he laughed, shaking his head. "She's pretty, but damn, her rudeness takes so much away from it. And the girl that's with her just spurs her on." Alice and Edward both nodded, grimacing. "But, they've left already…shopping and dinner. However, they sounded interested in the bar tonight, so be prepared."

I sighed, shaking my head.

Edward got up, cupping my face. "Please, don't let this bother you," he kissed my forehead. "I think I should buy you a drink tonight," he winked at me.

I snorted, looking up at him. "You really want to do that? Flaunt this," I motioned between us, "in her face?"

"She knows about you," he nodded. "There are pictures of all of us in my apartment. I don't care, love. We were through before I even came here."

"Which pictures?" I groaned.

"Too many to mention," Alice snorted. "They range from every year, Bells." Edward smiled and nodded.

"Ok, a drink it is," I sighed, "you're too cute with the pictures." I snickered, kissing his cheek. "You should see Emmett's scrapbook some time. Rose put it together."

"Oh yeah!" Jasper smiled. "Hang on," he ran out of my room and was back with a big book in his hands. "Here." He handed it to Alice and Edward and they sat down to flip through it.

We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing at the photo album. Everything from school photos to Halloween. We were in tears, looking at Jasper and Emmett dressed as clowns just to scare Alice.

"Fuckers," she growled. "Didn't speak to them for weeks."

"I know," I laughed, "you locked my bedroom door when you came over."

"There's no need for name callin', darlin'," he snickered, kissing her head. "We were fifteen and knew exactly which buttons to push."

"That's true," I laughed, "that's the year Charlie instilled the 'leave the damn girls alone' rule."

"Oh God!" Edward laughed. "I remember that…and I didn't do anything."

"You did too!" Alice and I laughed. Alice added, "Putting pictures of clowns on my ceiling and in my locker…"

"Oh yeah," he smiled proudly. Jasper snorted and gave him a fist bump.

"Not to mention the rigged game of spin the bottle at the birthday party Esme threw for me," I growled. "Do you two have any idea how gross that was?" Jasper was in hysterics and Edward wouldn't look at me. Alice had her arms folded across her chest.

"We _both_ had to kiss Patrick Whats-his-face!" She growled. "He picked his nose for Christ's sake!"

"Goldsmith," they both snorted together.

"Whatever," Alice and I snarled, smacking them both on their arms.

"It's not like you didn't get us back," Jasper breathed, wiping a tear away. "We," he motioned to Edward, "had to kiss the King sisters."

Alice and I fell over on each other. "Wasn't one of them albino?" I asked, burying my face in Alice's shoulder.

"No," Edward growled, "just really pale." Jasper actually dry heaved which caused mine and Alice's laughter all over again. "But, Patrick was a stud for the rest of the year," Edward smiled wryly. Alice and I both shivered.

"Ok, we're even," Alice frowned. She grabbed Jasper's hand. "Come on, Jazz, I need to get ready for tonight. I can't decide whether to bring mace or not."

I laughed, Edward cradling me sideways in his lap as they left us alone. I sighed, burying my face in his neck. Just being together made me feel better. "Patrick was the lesser of the evils that Jasper and I could agree on," Edward chuckled.

"Shut it," I snorted into his shirt.

"I fixed 'Seven Minutes in Heaven' too," he whispered.

I gasped, looking up at him. "There's more to you than I thought," I frowned, folding my arms across my chest. "Why would you do that?"

"Mike was there," he shrugged, "I didn't want to take any chances. Better me than him…at least that's what I told myself." He reached up, tracing a finger down my face. "Best kiss I ever had," he smirked. "Well, until…"

I snorted, raising my eyebrow. "Until?"

"Until our summer," he sighed, his eyes electric green. I put my hand on his face, my thumb rubbing his cheek bone. I could see "our summer" meant just as much to him as it did to me. "I really don't want you to worry about tonight, love," he frowned, his brow furrowing. I rubbed it instantly, smoothing his eyebrow. His fingers ran through my hair, bringing my face to his.

Our kiss started slow, tongues touching lightly and pulling back. I turned my head, sliding my hand into Edward's hair, pulling him in for more. I whimpered as his groan reverberated throughout my whole body. His tongue delved into my mouth, sliding along mine smoothly.

His arm was behind my back, holding me, his fingers twisting in my hair. His other hand slipped under my shirt, palming my breast. My back arched as my mouth broke from his. I left open mouthed kisses down his neck, breathing him in. His thumb rubbed lazily across my nipple, causing me to groan against his skin. "Edward," I breathed, "we don't…oh shit," my head flew back as his hand glided down my stomach and palmed me between my legs. His lips were on my neck, his tongue licking torturously. "…we don't…have…time…oh God," my eyes rolled back into my head as he applied pressure through my shorts just where I needed it.

"I want to make you come," his voice was dangerous, deep velvet. "Let me, please," he whispered against the soft spot below my ear. "You're so beautiful when you come, baby."

"Ok," was all I could breathe, feeling his smile against my skin. I gasped when his hand flicked open my shorts and slid inside. As his fingers met my heated core and my hips shot up, grinding against his hand. "Oh God," I moaned, bringing his face back to mine. I attacked his mouth hungrily, sucking his tongue and then his bottom lip in my mouth.

He slipped two fingers in me, his thumb pressing against my clit. "Does it feel good, love?" He asked, kissing down my neck and then pulling back to look at my face.

"Jesus, Edward," I cried out as the coil tightened. He curled his fingers just right, hitting the spot that sent me over the edge every time. "God, I fucking love you," I breathed, my orgasm crashing down around me. No one had ever been able to play my body like he did.

Peter tried, but I didn't give him all of me, so I usually ended up frustrated. James was a selfish lover, taking it all and never giving anything. Edward was everything a girl could ask for, smooth and sweet, completely unselfish and undeniably sexy.

"I want you to remember how much I love you when we go to the bar tonight," he smiled, kissing my forehead. "No one can take me away from you, love."

I kissed him fully, before dragging him off to get ready. I completely repaid him in the shower. There was lots of soap, touching and laughing. By the time we were ready, it was all we could do to keep our hands off of each other.

EPOV

Jasper and I thought it would be better if we kept Bella and Alice together while Lauren was in town. Alice hated both Lauren and Charlotte.

She had a pretty good reason. Lauren would go out of her way to keep Alice and me apart. She would ignore or erase messages on the answering machine. She would constantly interrupt Alice, never allowing us to catch up. It got so bad that I would meet my sister alone in secret in order to see her. I should have never let it get that far.

Charlotte was a completely different level of nasty. I had met her first. She had tried to get my attention over and over. I had no interest in her to begin with, but when Alice caught her in a club with her "fiancé" and told me about it, Charlotte hated her from then on, telling Alice that she had squealed on her.

Jasper and Alice were waiting for us in the hallway when we finally emerged from Bella's room. "Let's get this over with," Alice growled.

We walked into the bar and spotted Lauren and Charlotte trying to get Seth's attention. They were sitting on barstools, Charlotte batting her eyes in his direction. "They're at the bar," Alice pointed to Bella.

"Ok," Bella smiled, "let's go, then." She turned to me. "It's not too late, I can hide you," she snorted.

"No," I sighed, "let's just go."

Poor Seth was trying to decline the advances of Charlotte. It wasn't that either girl wasn't pretty. They were, very much so. However, everything had been handed to them in their life and their attitudes made them less attractive. Charlotte was a strawberry blonde, average height where Lauren was a blonde that was a little bit taller. Bella looked at me.

"Blonde?" She asked, her eyebrow raised.

I just rolled my eyes. "Just don't, love, please." She snickered, kissing me quickly.

"Ok," she smiled sweetly. "Go get a table, baby," she pointed to the one behind the barstools. Alice, Jasper and I started towards it.

"Where are you going?" I asked, nervous enough as it was. I didn't want her far from me.

"To play the owner card, Edward, relax," she smirked, raising her eyebrows. I chuckled and kissed her hand before letting her go.

She joined Seth behind the bar, just as Charlotte flirted poorly. "Come on, Seth, what time to you get off work. We could do something…show me around this place."

"Bells!" Seth sang in relief. His eyes were begging for her help and I couldn't help but smile in understanding. She always could put out the fires calmly. "Have you met the new arrivals?" He asked, happy to have a chance to change the subject. "This is Lauren and Charlotte. This is Bella, the owner." He beamed at her and she winked at him. "Bells, can you watch the bar? I need to grab a keg out of the back." She nodded and turned to her new guests, greeting them warmly.

"First thing she'll ask is about you…" Jasper snickered at Alice and me.

"Oh! _You're_ Bella," Lauren smirked and her eyes gave Bella the once over. She nodded and smiled. "Good! Maybe you can tell me where I can find Edward and Alice Cullen."

"At the table right there with my brother," she paused, stopping them before they could leave. "Oh and Charlotte?" Bella smiled so sweetly. "I'm very sorry, but my employees aren't allowed to fraternize with guests, so Seth cannot join you." Charlotte's scowl did not go unnoticed. Neither girl liked to be told no to something they wanted.

Alice giggled, "And so it begins." Jasper and I chuckled and nodded. "God, I love her," Alice smiled.

"Well," Rose drawled joining us with a smile, "_this _should be interesting. We got you, Edward, don't sweat it." She plopped down in the seat next to Jasper with an expectant smile.

"Edward! Alice!" Lauren feigned excitement, walking towards our table.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Lauren, why are you here?" I asked, turning towards her.

I saw everything I didn't like about her in one instant. From the sneer she was giving my sister to the batting of her eyelashes at me. She was shallow, vain, mean and cruel. She was a liar and a manipulator. She was the polar opposite of my Bella. I had no idea what I was thinking.

"I came to talk to you," she smiled. "Daddy wants you to come back to work, Edward," she sighed as if it was totally reasonable for her to come all the way from Chicago to deliver this message. "Please, can we talk? _In private?_" She asked, her eyes landing on my sister. Alice's stare never wavered.

"It won't change anything, Lauren," I shook my head. "I am coming back…but only to move my things down here."

I watched her lip tremble, but she reined it in.

"Here guys," Bella smiled, setting drinks on the table. She slid a beer into my hand. I almost laughed, I must have looked like I needed it. "Lauren, Charlotte? Can I get you anything?" She asked, winking at me.

They both shook their heads no. "Edward, five minutes, please?" Lauren begged, looking at everyone around her.

I sighed and stood up. "Five minutes, that's it." I led her out of the bar and into the lobby, holding the door for her.

She rounded on me immediately. "Which one is she?" She growled, glaring at me. "Which one did I hear on the phone?"

"Really, Lauren?" I snickered. "You came all the way from Chicago to ask me that?"

She nodded, sneering. "I've moved on. You should too." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Is it the blonde, Edward? Or Bella?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"It doesn't matter," I frowned at her. "We," I pointed to her and then myself, "don't answer to one another anymore. And if _Daddy_ wanted me back, he would call me himself. I'm staying here."

"It's Bella, isn't it?" She asked, smiling evilly. "Does she know that you're a man whore, Edward?"

"We're done here," I growled, turning to leave.

"Does your sweet high school love know you got piss ass drunk and fucked a secretary?" She laughed. "I listened to you and Alice talk about her. She sounds too sweet…" Her voice was dripping with venom. "So does she know?"

"Yes, she does," I smiled, thinking about how nice it was to be honest with someone for a change. Bella knew everything about me. It was comforting. "She knows all about it, so there's nothing left to say here, is there?" Her mouth was hanging open in shock. "Lauren, please let it go," I sighed, trying to sound calm. "We didn't work."

Tears began to course down her face and I gritted my teeth in frustration. "Please, Edward, I love you," she sobbed. "Please, I'll do anything. Daddy's so mad at me."

I pulled her to a chair and sat her down, kneeling in front of her. "Lauren, you don't love me, you love the _idea_ of me," I paused, trying to stay calm, but I was ready to look into warm brown eyes, not cold blue ones. "You liked being seen with me…showing me off, it's not me…it's not love. There were a lot of things in our relationship, but love was not one of them. And you are on your own with your father."

Her eyes finally dried and she nodded, standing up. I could still see she was mad, but I was hoping it would stay aimed in my direction, not veer off towards Bella or Alice. I held the door for her, following her back into the bar.

We walked back to the table to see my sister with a scowl on her face, listening to a conversation between Bella and Charlotte.

"So, what you're saying is," Charlotte paused, watching me sit next to Bella and Lauren come and stand beside her, "that Seth can't take me out, but Alice can date your brother…he's an employee."

Bella didn't flinch. "That's exactly what I'm saying," she smiled. "Alice and Edward are family friends, therefore, they don't qualify as paying guests." Lauren snorted and the whole table, which now included Emmett, glared at her. She flushed and looked down.

"They aren't paying," Charlotte scoffed, sounding incredulous.

"I'm afraid I can't discuss finances with you," Bella sighed, taking a sip from her beer. "It's rude, first of all and second…it's unethical."

Rose smiled, shaking her head and biting her lip to stop her laugh.

"That's so not fair," Charlotte pouted, folding her arms across her chest in a huff. Lauren leaned to her, whispering in her ear. "Oh! She's the one?!" Charlotte gasped, her mouth hanging open.

Bella looked up at me and I mouthed, "On the phone." Her laugh couldn't be stopped and I had to chuckle with her. I grabbed her leg under the table to try and get her to stop, but it wasn't working.

"She was the one on the phone?" Charlotte growled.

Rose and Alice snorted, covering their faces to hide their laugh. Bella must have told them.

"So are they…" Charlotte tried asking. Lauren nodded, rolling her eyes. "So she's the whore with the crack mom." Lauren's mouth fell open, looking at her cousin.

The table exploded, the girls getting to their feet first. Charlotte and Lauren took a few steps back, seeing Rose in their face so quick.

"Lauren," I seethed. "Control her or I will."

"Everyone, just calm down," Bella frowned, looking around the table. "Rose, damn it, sit down. Jasper, get Alice before she falls off this table." Jasper pulled my sister into his lap, holding her shaking arms. "Charlotte, you know only half of that story, I'm afraid. Yes, I was the one on the phone…"

"So, you admit it," Lauren growled, turning to me. "I can't believe you would call me from another woman's bed."

"Stop!" Bella yelled, closing her eyes. "There was no bed…some pizza and a few sitcoms, but no bed."

"She's _not_ a whore," Rose sneered. "You were clearly kicked out on your ass by the time Edward got here." Lauren made to take a step towards her, but when Rose stood, towering over her, she thought better of it and stopped in her tracks. Emmett looked proud and I couldn't say that I blamed him. Rose was very intimidating when she wanted to be.

"Rose, please," Bella sighed, looking up at me. "I'm sure that's how it all looks to her. Lauren, I'm sorry about the phone call…it was a poor joke. Break-ups are bad enough as it is." I fell in love with her all over again, looking at her. She truly was the better person in this whole situation. "As far as my mother goes, ladies, well…that ranks up there with the finances. We'll leave it at that."

Bella stood up walking around the table. "Now, if you don't like it here…if you aren't comfortable here, let me know. I will put you up, my treat, elsewhere. Otherwise, you will conduct yourselves as mature women. You will treat my staff…family or not…with respect. If I hear otherwise, you will be on your own. I only make this offer once." She stared at Lauren, waiting for her to answer. Her glare on my ex was unwavering and intimidating.

"No, it's fine," Lauren shook her head. "We go home Sunday…just one more night."

"Good," Bella nodded, her smile was gone. "Emmett, make sure to take care of their tab tonight…on me." Emmett nodded, looking up at his sister and then to me. He raised his eyebrow and I just shook my head. "I need some air," Bella sighed, walking out the deck door.

"Lauren," I frowned, standing. "I want you to look at these people," I pointed to everyone at the table. "I've known them my whole life, aside from Rose," I winked at her, "Bella included. This is why I am moving here…family."

"Edward," Lauren shook her head. "She didn't have to do that…"

"No," Emmett scowled, standing, "she didn't. You don't know anything about her. Maybe what you overheard from Eddie and Ali…but you don't know what she's lost or what she's sacrificed. She's twenty four with two houses and her own business and she still chooses to teach kids, because she feels she's good at it…that she's needed. Her mother may be an addict, but Bella's not," he growled, pointing to the door that his sister walked out of. "It almost broke her emotionally to try to keep her mother clean…don't walk in here and fling words around that you don't know the meaning of. You don't see me walking up into your crib, talking about all that plastic surgery and botox, do you?" He sneered, waving his hand at the two of them. Their eyes were wide as they stared up at the giant in front of them. They looked afraid to move.

Emmett angry was a sight to behold. He was so laid back and just happy to _be_ that we ignored his size. He was normally just a big fun guy, but right then he looked like a grizzly that got woken up early from hibernation. He turned to me, and pointed. "You go find my sister, tell her she's perfect…tell her the plastic twins are answering to me tonight. Tell her we love her…that _you_ love her…and that she's beautiful…_don't _come back without her."

I nodded, afraid to do much else. Jasper's mouth was hanging open, Alice was crying and Rose was nodding to me, mouthing, "Go!"

I bolted out the door that Bella left through. I could see fresh footprints in the sand, heading towards the beach and I followed them out. The moonlight was so bright, that it wasn't hard to find her. What made me almost miss her was that she had herself wrapped up so small that I could barely see her. Her knees were up with her arms around them.

She looked so fragile at that moment that I couldn't help but sit behind her and wrap my arms around her. She sighed and leaned into me. "If you hadn't warned me about them," she started softly, "I would have snapped on them…"

"I'm really sorry, love," I kissed the back of her head. "I didn't know Lauren listened to Alice and I talk, she shouldn't have…"

"It's ok," she sighed. "She's angry, Edward. She's frantic that she's lost you…I almost understand."

"Tell me it's a girl thing, because I don't get it," I smiled when she snorted.

"It might be…" Her hand moved and I saw her wipe away a tear. "Be honest…what attracted you to her to begin with?"

I shrugged. "She was funny. We were at the same functions, because I worked with her father. She was close to my age…when no one else was. We bonded, but I didn't like her, really. I know that sounds terrible to say, but I was a different person."

"No, you're still the same person…" She picked up my hand and linked her fingers with mine. "You were just…scarred. I did that and I can't apologize enough."

"Bella," I sighed, squeezing her closer, "I made my own decisions…right or wrong, they were mine. Lauren was a…terrible decision on many levels. She's not innocent, she used me too, so I feel no guilt there."

"Good, you shouldn't…" She shook her head. "I'm always going to be seen the way they see me, Edward. You should know that…" She paused for a moment. "I remember the first day I met you and Ali," she sniffled, but snickered at the same time. "First day of the seventh grade…I was running to keep up with Emmett's long legs and Mike Newton tripped me." I nodded, remembering it perfectly. "I tumbled straight into you guys…right into a pile of leaves. We were all the same height at twelve," she snorted. "Except Ali…she was always smaller…" I chuckled. "I felt so bad when I looked at you two. You had leaves stuck in all of that hair of yours and I had torn your shirt. Alice's shoes got scuffed. I could see right then that you were…_comfortable_…that your clothes that day cost more than my entire wardrobe. I knew what I must have looked like standing next to you, but I loved you instantly." She laughed, shaking her head. "Alice hugged me, asked me if I was ok…told me to stop saying I was sorry. I remember my hands shook, trying to get all the leaves out of your hair."

"Well, that alone was a feat…" I chuckled and she joined me. "You know what I remember?" I asked, squeezing her hand. She shook her head. "I couldn't tell you whether or not you ripped my shirt or that your hands shook. I saw the most beautiful brown eyes I had ever seen. I never saw what you wore or any of that…I saw an angel's face and warm eyes. Alice saw her best friend…told me so that night. Oh," I groaned, "and when Jasper walked up, it was all over." We both laughed. "I don't care what people see, love. I still see that girl…the angel with the brown eyes…the girl that kissed me in the closet during a party…and the girl that would come to my rescue time and time again without question…and the girl that gave me her love on a random summer Wednesday afternoon in my room just because I begged her to…because I _needed _her to.

"I don't want you to compare yourself to anyone, I love _you_. There's no one like you, I _know _you. I know where you got this scar right here," I snickered, tracing my thumb over her knee where a U shaped scar sat slightly raised that she got one day when we were riding bikes. "I know that you enjoyed pushing girls away from me. I know that certain songs can push you over the edge." She groaned, shaking her head and I snickered. "I know that you love gripping my hair, because you secretly know I love it. And I know…just by the look in your eyes when you want me to kiss you." I kissed her hand, holding it against my lips for a moment.

"I loved that you loved me so much that you let me go despite how hard it must have been, because it was best for me. I'm not kidding, Bella. I think this…right now…was what was supposed to happen." She was crying harder now, so I turned her around to look at me. "I loved the girl in school…but, God, what you have become, love…there's no words…" I wiped away her tears. "And your mom, Bella…is Esme…it always has been. Your biological mother may have problems, but your _mom_ is only a phone call away and you know it. Do not let the mistakes of someone else stop you from being who you are."

"And who is that, because I just don't know anymore…"

I pulled her face to mine, looking in her fathomless brown eyes and causing her to kneel in front of me. "You're the daughter of Charlie Swan…the sister to Emmett and Jasper…the best friend to Rose and Alice…the 'adopted' daughter of Carlisle and Esme Cullen…the owner of a beach inn and an elementary school teacher…and you're the love of my life, my heart and soul. Those things matter…nothing else does."

I could taste the salt from her tears when her lips crashed into mine with a sob. I fisted my hands in her hair as she kneeled between my legs. Her hands gripped my shoulders, sliding up into my hair as she leaned into me. Her tongue slipped hungrily against mine, trying to push all the bad things away. She breathed raggedly into me and I drank her in. She turned her head to the other side and my hand caressed her face, wiping away more tears. She whimpered slowing the kiss down, pulling back to press her forehead to mine. "I love you," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"Good," I smiled, kissing her nose. "Now, Emmett wanted me to tell you that…and I quote…'the plastic twins' are answering to him tonight…and that they all love you and that you're beautiful…and you're perfect just the way you are." I snickered, remembering how mad he was.

"Oh, God," she groaned, "what did he do?"

"Oh, he went off!" I snorted. She groaned again, then sniffled and laughed at the same time. "He scared the shit out them, I can tell you that." She laughed again, burying her face on my shoulder.

"Are they plastic?" She asked, giggling.

"Mostly," I nodded, chuckling. "There's nothing real on Charlotte…at all. Trust me. As many times as Lauren took her to my father…there can't be anything real left on her."

Bella's nose wrinkled adorably. "Ew, poor Carlisle." I chuckled at her.

"They aren't real, baby, you're real…you are perfect…perfect for me. You're mine," I smiled as she snickered and kissed my lips quickly. We both heard the sound of pounding feet in the sand and turned to see four shadows running towards us.

"Bella!" Jasper gasped, holding out Bella's cell phone. "It's Phil. You have to call him. He's in a panic and won't tell me what the fuck is going on."

Everyone knelt around her as she hit redial on her phone. "Phil? Where's Renee?" She stood pacing a few steps and then toed at the sand. "No, Phil, tell me what the fuck is going on…No! Where?" She fell to her knees in the sand and we were instantly all around her. Her hands dropped to her lap, dropping the phone. Rose absentmindedly picked it up for her.

"Bella, love?" I asked, afraid to know the answer.

"Renee OD'ed," she breathed. I caught her before her head hit the sand.

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**A/N…yeah…another cliffy…so sorry…**

**Alright…just so you know, the best beta on the planet is Brits23...I pimp her story all the time…it's the best.**

**To pimp one more…If you haven't read "My Yes, My No" by Lola Shoes…holy hell…that's brilliant the way that story is written. Ok, commercial over…**

**Review for me…the next chapter will be posted Monday…Love you all…**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N…I want to warn you…this is not light hearted and the M is for language and the talk of drugs…**

**I have so much more to say at the bottom…but, remember…I'm not a doctor and if I got some stuff wrong it's in error, not on purpose.**

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CHAPTER 8

BPOV

I came around slowly, hearing a fuzzy conversation around me. I could tell someone was holding me when a hand pressed to my face. I knew it was Edward. With a deep breath, I sat up.

"Bells?" Alice whispered.

"Love, are you ok?" Edward asked, his voice soft but full of concern.

I nodded, rubbing my face. I looked around the room and saw that we were all in my apartment at the inn. Edward and Alice were on my bed with me. Rose was sitting with Emmett on my sofa and Jasper was pacing. He looked like he was about to bust.

"What happened?" I asked, confused. I remembered being with Edward on the beach, mad at Lauren, but not much else.

"Phil called, Bells," Jasper's brow was wrinkled. "Do you remember?"

"Oh fuck!" I gasped, jumping up. "We have to go! Renee is at the hospital, she overdosed."

"You mean she's alive?" Emmett gasped. "I thought…well, hell…I don't know what I thought." He got up and helped Rose to her feet. "Well, let's go."

Emmett drove us so fast that I barely had time to register the ride. We all busted into the ER. Jasper took over for me, my hands were shaking. Edward tried keeping me as calm as he could.

When the nurse spotted all of us, she frowned. "Only family."

"I'm her daughter," I whispered and her eyes softened. She was an older woman, with graying hair and soft hazel eyes.

I couldn't let go of Edward's hand, so he came with me. "This way, sweetie," she sighed.

I had never seen so many tubes and machines hooked up to one human body in all my life. "What…why?" I asked, looking up at the sweet face of the nurse.

"I'll page her doctor for you, dear," she smiled in sympathy. "He can explain it."

I nodded, letting go of Edward's hand and walking to her bedside. She was pale and thin, too thin. There were shadows under her eyes and her chest would rise and fall with every pull of the machine beside her.

"Life support?" I breathed, looking over at Edward just as a round man in a white coat walked in.

"Yes," he said softly. "I'm Doctor Moore," he smiled, holding out his hand and we both took it. "I was the treating ER doctor when they found your…mother…is it?" He asked and I nodded. "Someone had just left her outside the ER doors…" He frowned and I heard Edward sigh.

The doctor looked over at him and nodded like he knew what he was thinking. "We don't know what she's taken, we're still waiting for the tox results, but she's not breathing on her own. We are going to be running some tests to see if there's any brain function…with your permission, of course."

I let out the breath I had been holding in and nodded. "She was barely there," he continued, "when we found her, no pulse…we tried everything." I nodded again, sitting down hard in the chair. "She's undernourished…and not healthy at all. What's her history…um…"

"Oh, sorry, Bella…and Edward," I sighed. The doctor nodded at Edward. "She had a history of drugs and alcohol…malnourishment is not uncommon with her, she would rather drink than eat…she smokes too."

"Ok, well, that helps us, Bella," he smiled warmly. "You can wait if you like, but I have to warn you, this may take some time. I could have the nurse call…"

"No!" I snapped and then sighed, "No, I'll wait." He nodded in understanding.

"Ok, well, there's a waiting room down the hall, as soon as we know something, we'll come and get you," he said, pulling her chart from the wall and making a few notes.

Edward came and took my hand and with one last look at my mother, I let him lead me out. We walked down the hall and found the rest of them in a fairly large waiting room. Alice and Rose, looked up when we came in and rushed to me, pulling me down onto one of the couches. I heard Edward explain it to them, but I couldn't find it in me to participate.

I heard him tell Alice that he would be right back and he kissed my forehead, telling me he loved me. I was shutting down and I knew it, but I couldn't stop it. Everyone was quiet, but Alice. She hummed so softly, running her fingers through my hair. To be honest, it was the only thing I was clinging to. I sat with my arms on my knees, staring at my sneakers.

Edward came back in and Rose got up, letting him take her place beside me. I heard footsteps and when I looked up, I snapped. "Phil, you bastard!" I growled, launching myself at him. No one could have stopped me. I landed on his chest and heard the smack of his head hitting the hard floor. "What the _fuck_ did you give her this time?" I felt Emmett's big arms surround me. "What the hell did you just drop her off for?" I cried, tears coursing down my face.

Emmett pulled me off, kicking at him. "Baby girl, stop, he's not worth it…let Jazz…" he smiled.

Jasper snatched Phil up off the floor, slamming him into the wall. I could see that he was just as thin as my mother and was shaking from head to toe. "I'm sorry," Phil whined. "She got a hold of something she didn't know about," he gasped as Jasper gripped his filthy t-shirt. "She thought it was coke, but it wasn't…" I couldn't understand what he said next.

"You let her snort heroin?!" Jasper growled. "No wonder her heart stopped, mother fucker…and you just left her outside?"

"I was scared shitless, man!" He wailed, Jasper letting him fall to his knees.

He turned to Alice, "Ali…they need to know, go tell them." Alice bolted from the room, heading for the nurse's station. "Don't move." He pointed to Phil.

I just looked at him with a look of disgust on my face. My stomach lurched and I bolted to the bathroom, losing everything. I sobbed into the toilet, feeling someone holding my hair. Edward grabbed the wet paper towel that Rose was handing him and wiped my face. I was weak when I finally was able to stand, but he wrapped an arm around my waist, leading me to a couch.

Alice had brought a police officer with her and he was talking to Phil. "Did you know there's a warrant for your arrest?" He asked him with a slight smile on his face. The officer was every bit as big as Emmett if not bigger with red hair and a goatee. Phil nodded slowly and the officer handcuffed him right there on the floor, taking him from the room.

At some point, Edward pulled me into his lap, my chest pressed to his and I melted to him. I slept on and off, hearing people come and go, but I stopped listening. The only thing I heard was the soothing sound of Edward's heartbeat and his soft voice telling me that he loved me.

EPOV

"Eddie," Emmett whispered as I paced the waiting room, "come get her, she's dreaming again." Rose had Bella's head in her lap and they were both asleep. Emmett was kneeling before the couch, holding Bella's hand. Her brow was furrowed and sweaty, calling out in her sleep.

"Shh, love." I brushed her hair from her face. She settled down slightly, but reached out for me. I couldn't resist her. I picked her up, sitting down and pulling her chest to me with her legs straddling mine. Once her head was over my heart, she took a deep sigh and settled down. It had been this way all night. It seemed the only thing that could calm her was me.

We were still waiting on the doctor. Jasper had taken Alice home for some sleep and to check on the inn. He needed to let Angela into the kitchen to make breakfast for Lauren and Charlotte. As soon as Jasper found out what those two were doing for the day, he would bring Alice back.

Dr. Moore had come in once to let us know what we already knew. That the tox screen came back positive for cocaine and heroin. We were still waiting to hear from a neurologist concerning Renee's brain function, but Dr. Moore didn't seem positive about it and frankly, I didn't either. Her kidneys were barely functioning. It looked like her body was completely shutting down.

Emmett sighed, looking as tired as I felt. Our hearts were aching for Bella and there was nothing we could do to stop it. We had tried our whole lives to protect her and it was killing us that we couldn't do it now. "Take Rose home, Em." I laid back, rubbing Bella's back. "I can call when we hear something." I looked over at her and she was still out.

"I'll give the doc a little longer," he sighed again, sitting across from us. "Funny, I wish you had been here when Charlie died, bro," he frowned, pointing to Bella. "The nightmares, man…I can't even tell you. Nothing we did helped." I kissed the top of her head and she melted a little more into me. He smiled, saying, "Amazing." He was quiet for a moment. "I called Seth. He's willing to pull doubles if we need him."

I nodded, my eyes burning with exhaustion. I closed them for what seemed like only minutes, but found myself being shaken awake.

I opened my eyes to see the same green as my own. "Mom?" I asked, confused.

"Hey, sweetheart, how's she doing?" She whispered, brushing my hair from my forehead and placing a kiss there. I just shook my head at her.

"She fell asleep around three this morning."

My father walked in the door, smiling. "Edward," he smiled, but my mother hushed him quickly. "Sorry, hon," he said sheepishly.

Bella started to stir. "Bella?" I called softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Love, someone's here to see you." Her eyes squeezed tighter as her whole body shivered for a second. She sat up slightly, looking at me through sleepy sweet eyes. My heart swelled with more love for her. She put her hand to my face. "Who's here?" She yawned, "The doctor?"

"He _is_ a doctor," I smiled, hearing my father's chuckle.

She turned her head so fast, she almost fell out of my lap. "Carlisle? Esme?" She squealed, scrambling down and into my father's embrace. Esme wrapped her up and the tears began to flow.

I sat up, resting my elbows on my knees. I wiped my face, feeling slight relief at the sight of my parents. My Bella needed my mother so much that it was almost overwhelming.

"Son, come walk with me," he smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as we stopped at the end of the corridor.

"We left as soon as you called, son. Your mother has been begging for me to take her on vacation to Bella's place. I took some time that had piled up. _You_ and Alice needed us, Bella needed us. Alice called us once she was back at the inn to give us an update. Jasper is saving us a room. What have they told you?"

"Not much," I sighed. I told him the whole story, including Bella's reactions. "We're just waiting on the test results of the brain scan," I shrugged.

"At least she slept, son. It was her way of dealing. You look exhausted, but…happy? Are you two…together?" He asked, smiling. I snorted and nodded. "Oh, Lord," he chuckled. "You'll make your mother's _year_ with that news!" I laughed, shaking my head. "She's had your wedding planned since you two were fourteen years old." He slapped my shoulder. "Go make sure they don't flood the waiting room with tears and I will see what I can find out."

I walked back into the waiting room. Jasper had come back and was shaking his head at our three favorite women in a cluster, laughing and giggling through tears. "Amazing they don't explode holding all of that in," he snorted, looking over at me.

"I heard that, Jazz," Alice snickered and I laughed. "We don't hold it in…it just leaks out every now and then." He rolled his eyes, but looked back at her with love and understanding.

My mother stood up and walked up to me. "You look so tired, sweetheart," she smiled, cupping my face. "Where'd your father run off to?"

"He's gone to see if he can pry some information out of them," I sighed, pointing towards the doorway. "How long are you here for?"

"As long as you need us," she said simply. "Your father has plenty of time saved up, I plan on making him use every bit of it!" She smiled proudly.

"Your room's ready, Esme," Jasper smiled. "I had them set it up as soon as you told Alice that you were on your way."

"Thank you, Jasper," she smiled, kissing his cheek.

"You're staying?" Bella asked, her brow furrowed.

"Yes, my love," Esme smiled, tears forming again. She pulled Bella into another hug, whispering to her. Bella would nod and sniffle. They were killing me. I sat down, leaning my head back with a sigh.

I felt a warm hand in mine and rolled my head to the side. "Thanks for letting me sleep, baby," Bella smiled at me, but her eyes were so sad.

"It's my job, love," I smiled, pulling her hand up to kiss it. "I'm here permanently, remember?" I asked, reminding her that we were it, there was no way I could stay away from her. She smiled and this time it did reach her eyes. Nodding, she kissed me quickly.

"You're staying, son?" My mother asked, her face beaming. I chuckled and nodded. She clapped like Alice, causing a round of snickers. I looked at Alice, but she just shook her head. They hadn't told our parents the news yet and now wasn't exactly the right time.

"Yes, I just have to go back to pack up and move," I smiled, squeezing Bella's hand.

My father walked in the door followed by a tall graying man in a white coat. "Bella, this is Dr. Stone. He's the neurologist that has been running the tests on Renee." I saw the panic in my father's face. This wasn't good. Apparently, Bella saw it too, because her hand squeezed mine and her body started to shake.

"Bella," Dr. Stone started, "I'm sorry it took us so long, but we wanted to make absolutely sure of the results." Bella nodded at him. "I'm so sorry, but there is no activity coming from your mother's brain. The fact that she was left so long without any attention…loss of oxygen to the brain, well…there's nothing that can be done."

Bella looked to my father for the answer. He came and knelt before her. "Sweetheart, the machines are the only thing that's keeping her here." I heard my mother sniffle. The tears in the room weren't for Renee, no she had sealed her own fate. They were for Bella. Without having to ask, my father answered her next question. "You have to decide whether or not you want to continue to keep her like that or let her go."

She handled this better than I expected, though I was sure her reactions were far from over. "She's going to die?" She asked, begging my father with her eyes to tell her something different.

"If we turn the machines off, yes," he rubbed her arm. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"I don't…I can't…make this decision," she looked to me, shaking her head. "Not alone."

"We're all here, love," I answered, hearing sounds of agreement throughout the room.

Jasper came and sat beside her. "Bells, you remember how Charlie felt about Harry?" He asked and she nodded. "Remember how he got mad at the Clearwaters for keeping Harry hooked up for so long…this is what he meant…" He waited until she nodded, tears coursing down her face again at the mention of her father. "I think he would tell you to let her go…no one wants to be plugged into a wall like that. He said he hated seeing his friend plugged in like a toaster," his brow furrowed with emotion. He turned to my sister, "call Emmett…he needs to be here."

She nodded and pulled out her phone, walking into the hallway. She came back in immediately, saying, "He's here, just parking. He was already on his way back."

He must have run through the hospital, because it wasn't five minutes before he was busting through the door. "Oh God, Bells," he frowned, looking at her and taking Jasper's place at her other side. "Rosie said to tell you that she loves you, but can't…" Bella nodded in understanding. He looked up at everyone in the room. "She had to do this with her father, it's too much for her."

"Bella," my father started, "you don't have to make this decision today…"

"Yes," she nodded fervently, "I do. Putting it off, won't make it any easier."

"That's true," my father smiled warmly.

"Let me know what you want to do," Dr. Strong said from the doorway. "The nurses will page…" He trailed off when all we did was nod at him. He turned from the room and left us.

BPOV

There was a spit second when I hated my mother for bringing this on me. I hated the air that I could barely breathe and even the company in the room. That's when I knew I was letting things get out of hand. I loved everyone in the room with me so much that I was easily able to transfer my feelings. There wasn't one of them, especially Edward, that wouldn't have let me explode all over them at this moment.

I quietly got up, leaving the waiting room and walking down to my mother's room. I leaned over the rail of her bed and brushed her hair away from her face. Of all the things said, Jasper's words made me realize that I couldn't hold on to her. I had to let her go.

"Edward was going to follow you," Esme sighed from the doorway, "but I beat him to the door." Seeing her was heaven. She was the mother I had known my whole life, not the woman laying in the bed next to me. "I wanted to talk to you." She motioned for the chairs in the room. I sat down and she took my hands. "Charlie came to me when you were probably twelve or thirteen. It was just after your birthday and your mother hadn't called…" She trailed off, taking a deep breath. "He knew that his job was dangerous, although the small town life decreased his chances, but he wanted to make sure that you had somewhere to go." I frowned at her, not understanding what she was saying. "When you and your brothers became so close with my Edward and Alice, he saw the bond that you and I had." She smiled proudly. "He asked Carlisle and me if we would take you in if something ever happened to him. We agreed instantly, of course. And that included your brothers, we would have taken all of you." She paused, looking over at my mother. I still wasn't sure where she was going with this, but knowing Charlie had prepared for me made me a little sadder.

"See, Charlie noticed that what you and I had was special. He wanted to keep it that way. He tried to protect you from this. When you moved down here to be with her, he completely panicked." I sobbed, knowing I had done that to my father. "It's ok, sweetheart, he understood. You needed to try…we all understood it."

"What I'm trying to tell you is that you didn't fail her. She failed you. I couldn't even conceive of anything coming between me and my children and that includes you and your brothers. But, your mother was sick, sweetie. It took a long, hot argument with Carlisle one day for me to see that." She smiled, sighing. "She couldn't control anything that was going on with her. I hated what she did to you, but she was really doing it to herself. She was unable to control her urges, her wants. I'm absolutely positive that she loved you…" She stopped, allowing me to catch my breath.

"If she didn't, then she wouldn't have kept in contact at all. She suffered just as much as you did, only in a completely different way. She couldn't stop herself, yet she wanted you. Am I making sense?" She asked, taking my hands into hers.

"Yes," I sniffled. "She was sober for a short time when I first got here. She was exactly what she should have been."

"That's my point, sweetheart," she smiled, tucking my hair back in a gesture that reminded me so much of Edward that it made my heart hurt. "She did love you, but I think it's time to end her suffering. She couldn't stop what she was…she tried, more times than you know about." My head shot up to look at Esme. "You need to remember her as the woman that you lived with when she was clean. Nothing else…nothing more."

I fell into her arms and she rocked me back and forth as I cried for my mother, Charlie, but mostly myself. She whispered that she loved me, that they all loved me…that they always had. "What do you want me to tell Carlisle, sweetie?" She asked, kissing my cheek.

"It's time," I whispered. "The mother I knew for a short period wouldn't want…_this_." I gestured to the bed and machines.

She nodded, saying, "and we will help you…with everything, ok?" I nodded.

Arrangements were made, the doctor was called and nurses came in the room. My body shook with wide ranges of emotions. When the machines were turned off, it was Edward's arms I fell into, but I felt more than his embrace. Emmett, Jasper and Alice wrapped us all up in a group hug as I sobbed relentlessly into Edward's shirt.

There would be no memorial, just cremation. Phil was in jail, pending an appearance in front of the judge. He was facing charges for not only the warrant he had, but for leaving my mother at the hospital. He also was being charged with possession of narcotics. A memorial was not needed, nor wanted.

Edward drove my truck home. He was starting to learn his way around pretty well. I was quiet, but he let me be, knowing that I would open up if I needed him. When he pulled in, he turned to me. "Love, I would really like to see you get a shower and some sleep," he smiled sweetly at me.

I nodded, getting out of the truck and walking into my inn. I barely registered anything around me as we made our way to my room. I knew I was neglecting my duties, but Edward just steered me away from it all. "Come on, love," he whispered, starting the shower.

He undressed us both, pulling me in under the water. I could barely keep my eyes open as he sweetly and softly washed and conditioned my hair. He poured body wash on a sponge and massaged away the smell of the hospital. When we were both clean, he dried me off, pulling back the covers of my bed. "Stay with me," I pleaded.

"Of course, baby," he smiled, kissing my head. He got in bed with me, neither of us bothering to put anything on, and pulled me as close to him as he could, letting me cry again. He rubbed my back, telling me it was ok and that I wasn't alone. I fell asleep with my face buried in his neck and his arms around me.

My dreams were shocking and scary. No matter where I turned, I couldn't find Edward. I could find my brothers and Alice and Rose, but they acted like they didn't see or hear me. It was if I didn't exist. The last thing I remembered was a piano with Edward's picture in a frame next to a wreath with RIP on it. Suddenly, the piano burst into flames.

I flew up out of the bed with a gasping cry. "Edward!" My whole body was shaking and I felt like I was going to be sick, though I hadn't eaten since I had thrown up at the hospital.

"Bella, I'm right here," he whispered, cupping my face and making me look at him. "You've been calling my name, love," he sighed, his brow wrinkling. He wiped my tears away, brushing my hair from my face.

"I couldn't find you," I sobbed, not telling him that it seemed like he was dead. I grabbed his face, verifying that he was, indeed, real.

"I'm right here, baby, I'm not going anywhere. I promise," he whispered, his brow still furrowed at my panic.

"You can't promise that!" I wailed, falling back to my pillow.

He laid down beside me, leaning on one elbow while his other hand ran through my hair. He tangled his legs with mine, saying, "Talk to me, love. What was that dream about?" He asked, kissing my forehead.

I couldn't actually make myself say the words. I just shook my head, my breathing heavy. "Please, don't make me say it," I hiccupped, my arms wrapping around his neck.

"Ok, baby." I could see that he was worried, but all I wanted was to feel him close, to make sure he was there…real. He pressed his forehead to mine. "I love you, Bella. I want you to know that. What can I do? How can I make it better?"

He looked just as helpless as I felt. "Kiss me, make me forget the dream," I breathed.

I didn't have to ask twice. His lips hit mine, forcing me back into the pillow. We poured every bit of our sorrow and frustration into it. There were moans and grunts, whimpers and gasps. I pulled him to me, not able to get him close enough. His hands roamed my body in a frenzy, trying to ground himself.

My hands pushed against his shoulders, forcing him on to his back. He pulled me with him. I straddled him, pressing my chest against his and attacked his mouth again. He gripped my hips, grinding me against him and I cried out. It was frenzied, our movements, desperate. It felt like there was a poison inside of us that we needed to rid ourselves of quickly.

He raised his hips again, his arousal sliding through my heat and I broke from his mouth. "Please, baby, I need you," I groaned against the skin of his neck.

He pushed me back up, lifting my body as he guided me down onto him by my hips. "Oh God," he groaned, his head falling back into the pillows. As my hips found their rhythm, his hands gripped my bottom, grinding me every time I came back down. "Shit, that feels…fuck, baby," his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

As hard as we were pushing against each other, my orgasm came fast and fierce. "Baby, I'm…oh, shit!" I cried out.

"Let it go, baby," he breathed, reaching between us to brush his thumb across my sensitive nub. "Give it to me," he whispered, biting his lower lip. He looked so wrecked at that moment, that I shattered instantly. "I'm not done, love," he smiled, sitting up. "Look at me," he breathed, wrapping my legs around his waist. "I'm right here, baby," he smiled, pressing his forehead to mine as his hands continued to guide my hips over him. "I'm not going anywhere, tell me you know that."

I wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders, my head still pressed to his. Our eyes never looked away. My breath caught as his pelvic bone raked against my swollen nub. "Say it!"

"I know," I groaned, my breath hitching. "I know, Edward," I shattered again, tears coursing down my face at the man in my arms. He knew exactly what my problem was and he made damn sure to remind me. I convulsed around him, bringing his own orgasm on.

"Jesus," he growled, holding my hips still as he filled me. My head was still pressed to his, our breathing heavy. "Let it out, love." His arms wrapped completely around me and I let loose into the crook of his neck. My body wracked with sobs and I felt tears of his own hit the top of my head.

We were still connected, but he continued to hold me as long as the tears fell. I needed it. I needed to feel tied to him in some way to make the dream feel like a dream instead of a possibility. I had to purge myself of the grief I felt and pour into something that was perfect and beautiful. I had to feel the sweetness, the calmness that was holding me instead of the anger and sadness that was now slowly leaving me.

As my tears slowed, he laid us down, pulling the covers up and keeping us face to face. He wanted to make sure that he stayed in my vision the entire time. My eyes closed slowly and opened back up. "Now, what was that dream about?" He whispered, but the smirk on his face was too adorable.

I smiled, kissing his nose. "I can't remember," I snickered.

"Mission accomplished, then?" He chuckled, rubbing my back.

"I'd say so," I smiled, nuzzling my face into his neck and breathing him in. "Thank you," I whispered.

I felt him nod against my cheek and he rubbed my back until I knew no more.

I awoke the next day feeling a little silly about my dream, but still couldn't shake the fear. I rolled over, my arms searching for Edward only to find a note in his place.

_My Beautiful Bella,_

_Come downstairs when you are ready. Wear your bathing suit. I think you'll find that you'll need it, but breakfast first. Alice and Jasper are telling my parents the news. That alone is something you won't want to miss._

_And, my sweet girl, I know things are tough, but please know that you carry my heart with you everywhere, so I am always with you. We will get through this together, I promise._

_Love Always,_

_Edward_

I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face even through the tears. He always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better.

I jumped out of bed, taking a quick shower and getting dressed. I threw on my blue bikini and donned a tank top and jean shorts. When I made it downstairs, I was shocked to see

everyone sitting out on the deck. Angela had set out an amazing breakfast.

Before I could step outside, I was stopped by Lauren.

"Um, Bella?" She started, looking more at her hands than my face. "I just want to apologize for Charlotte's poor choice in words. She should have known better, honestly," she sighed. The last sentence came out so soft it was almost for herself. "I heard about your mom and, God, I'm so sorry." She looked up at me, shaking her head.

"It's fine," I smiled weakly.

"No, it's not," she frowned. "I was crazy jealous, but Charlotte should have remembered my mother and not blurted out what she did. I was so fucking pissed, Bella…" She trailed off and looked out the door. "Even Edward doesn't know this," she sighed, looking back at me. "The woman that he knows as my mother is really my step mother. My real mother was addicted to pain meds…and one time she took too many."

"How old were you?" I asked, seeing the childlike hurt on her face and feeling her pain.

"Thirteen," she sighed, wiping her tears away. She took a deep breath and smiled. "Will you tell him I'm sorry? Charlotte's out in the car, waiting for me, but I wanted to see you…to tell you…it could happen to anyone. It doesn't mean that she didn't want to stop…sometimes they just…_can't_."

"I'll tell him…and…thanks," I smiled sadly, watching her nod to me and walk out the door.

I leaned in the doorway, watching my entire family have the most ridiculous conversation I had ever heard. "Vampires aren't scary, just throw them out into the sunlight. It's werewolves that you have to watch out for," Emmett pointed with his fork, his voice coming out heatedly.

"Damn, Em," Jasper snorted. "How dumb is that? Werewolves only come out at the full moon…one damn night…how hard is that to avoid?" He shook his head at his brother.

"If we're discussing scary monsters," Rose sighed, rolling her eyes, "you can't not point out that Frankenstein's monster was the scariest, by far. Hello!" She waved at them, "he was made out of rapists and murderers."

"I still vote that acid spit dripping thing from the movie _'Alien'_…things popping out people's chest," Edward chuckled, "no thank you." Poor Alice's face was scrunched up in a total look of horror from even listening to the four of them.

"Wow, meeting of the minds, is it?" I snorted, shaking my head at them all.

"Bells!" They all sang, laughing.

"Morning, baby," Edward snickered.

"Miss Bella!" I heard coming up from the surf. My heart leapt out of my chest.

"Jacob, come here, buddy," I smiled, as he jumped into my arms, kissing and giggling against my cheek.

"Guess what!" He squealed excitedly.

"I can't imagine," I laughed, hitching him up on my hip and walking away with him. "What?"

"Dad got me a body board, wanna see?" He smiled, his whole face was the example of pure happiness. It was impossible not to smile with him.

"I need to eat, if you can wait a few, I would love to see," I kissed his neck, tickling him until he slid down to the sand.

"Ok, they said you needed to eat," he said, his head tilting.

"Who said that?" I laughed, kneeling down to his level.

"They did…all of 'em…I heard them talking about you," he pointed to the deck and my whole family decided to look elsewhere. "They also said," he whispered, taking my face in his hands, "that your mom died, Miss Bella. Are you sad like I was?" His eyes were so brown they seemed almost black. His concern for me radiated from him.

"She did," I whispered back, ruffling his spiky hair. "And, yes, a little sad."

"Hugs help," he whispered again. "Do you want one?" I just huffed a laugh and nodded, tears welling up as his little warm body wrapped around me. "Better?" He asked, his head tilting.

"You have no idea, Jake, really," I smiled. "Where's your dad?" I asked, poking his belly and his giggle was infectious.

"Home," he smiled. "Mr. Jasper and Mr. Emmett and Mr. Edward picked me up this morning. They said you needed me."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Did they, now?" He nodded and smiled. "Who's watching you on the beach?" I asked, looking towards the surf.

"Miss Esme and Mr. Carlisle," he pointed. "They're from Ch-…" His brow wrinkled in frustration.

"Chicago," I answered for him.

"Yeah, there!" He laughed, putting his hands on his belly and folding over.

"Ok, go play," I snickered, scooping him up and blowing raspberries on his bare belly. He screamed and kicked his legs, causing chuckles from the deck. "I'll come out in a few, alright?" He nodded as I sat him down and he took off towards the water.

I walked back to the deck, standing behind Edward and placing a kiss on his head. "Thanks for getting Jake, guys, really." He pulled my hands around his neck and kissed my palm.

"Are you kidding?" Jasper snickered. "He's my ice breaker today." Alice nodded, her brow knitted and she was wringing her hands. "They fell in love with him instantly."

"I don't know what the hell you two are worried about," I snorted. "Esme has a scrapbook for Alice's wedding…_your_ picture has been in it since we were in the tenth grade. She made me swear not to tell you, but you need to calm the hell down. She loves you Jasper."

"And Dad?" Edward laughed, watching the two of them sweat bullets.

"Will do anything Esme tells him…" I raised an eyebrow at Alice. "There are things about them you don't know." I walked into the house and made my plate and grabbed a glass of juice. I came back to stares from around the table.

"Spill it, Bells," Emmett smiled. "What do we not know?"

"What you don't know is that Charlie came to Esme and Carlisle and asked them to take us…the three of us…if something were to happen to him." I took a bite, watching their mouths hit the floor.

"For real?" Alice asked, her mouth still open. "When did he do that?"

"Esme said I was twelve or thirteen." I shrugged, taking another bite of food.

"And they said yes?" Jasper asked, his brow wrinkled.

"Yes!" I laughed. "So, please relax." I felt a kiss to my head and heard Edward's chuckle.

"Hmm," Jasper mused, looking over at Alice. "Can't imagine living under the same roof back then…" he trailed off, his eyebrow raised.

"Why?" Emmett snorted. "We practically lived there on the weekends anyway. And don't think I don't know why you and my brother kicked Bells to the curb those nights!" I gasped, a laugh escaping me. I looked over at Edward who was just as red as I was and he shook his head.

Carlisle walked up from the beach and that ended our conversation quick, fast and in a hurry. Esme followed him, carrying a smiling Jacob on her hip. "Miss Bella, did you eat?" He asked, scrambling down from her grasp and up into my lap.

"Yes, sir, but sit with me for a moment," I smiled. "My tummy needs to settle before you try to drown me in the bay, ok?" He laughed and nodded, turning around to listen to the adults at the table.

"He's a good boy," Esme smiled, looking at him. "But, he refused to do anything more without you." That made sense to me. Jake was an extremely well-behaved boy, but strangers wore on him. He liked to be with people he knew more than anything.

"Um, Mom, Dad," Alice barely whispered. "We have some news…"

Edward snorted and I pinched his leg under the table. He squeaked, causing Jake to giggle at him. "You got in trouble," he whispered to him. Rose snickered from the other side of him.

"It happens more than you would like to know, buddy," Edward smirked, rubbing his leg. I smiled and shook my head.

Esme watched us all and wasn't to be fooled. She looked back at her daughter. "You're getting married!" She gasped, a smile spreading on her face. Alice nodded, looking relieved. Jasper let out the breath that he was holding. I just rolled my eyes at them all.

"Excellent," Carlisle beamed. "Congratulations to the both of you. It's about time!" I raised my eyebrow at my brother and he sighed with relief.

The table turned into a wedding planning meeting instantly. When they told them the wedding was going to be at the inn, Esme burst into tears of joy, already having fallen in love with my place.

Jake turned in my lap and faced me. "They're getting married?" He whispered. Jake whispered when he felt nervous about saying something out loud. "Mr. Jasper and Miss Alice?" He clarified.

I nodded and smiled. "Yes, and right here, too. What do you think?"

He thought for a moment and looked around the table. He realized that everyone was listening to him and he flushed. "It's good," he whispered. "Mr. Jasper is happier when Miss Alice is here…like you and Mr. Edward." Rose, Alice and Esme all "awed" at him, just causing his blush to deepen. He was so observant. Sometimes I didn't give him enough credit. "I want to help!" He boomed, his smile lighting up his face.

"I think I can find a job for you," I laughed, everyone at the table rising up to join me.

"Can we go swimming now?" He asked. His pout was my undoing.

"Yes, yes, yes," I smiled, tickling him. I picked him up, slinging him over my shoulder and he screamed and laughed.

"Hey J-man," Emmett boomed. "How would you like to learn how to skim board?"

"Heck yeah!" Jake beamed from upside down.

The Gulf of Mexico wasn't for surfing, but skim boards were very popular. They were about the size of two pillows and very thin. You threw them down just as a wave met the shore and jumped on it, skimming over the water into the next wave. They were fun and Jasper and Emmett had been doing it for years. They ran inside and grabbed their boards, bringing them out to us at the water.

They taught Jake for hours and he showed them his body board, riding the smaller waves into shore. He would run back to me and ask how he did, his face beaming. When Edward tossed him up on his shoulders so that Emmett could wrestle with Jake in the water, I had to bite back my swoon. They had so much fun with him, that they forgot he was six.

"Jacob, come here," I called, waving him over. "I think you're water logged, buddy. Let's get you something to eat, ok?"

Just at that moment, his stomach growled really loud and he burst into giggles. But, his little eyes looked so tired. "I think he may pass out from exhaustion before he eats," I murmured to Rose, who was snickering beside me.

"I'll come with you," she smiled, getting up and walking with us into the inn and back into the kitchen.

I set him on the counter. "What do you want to eat?"

"Pizza!" He beamed. I laughed, turning on the oven and grabbed a frozen cheese pizza out of the freezer.

Jake started falling asleep right at the deck table. "Come on, little man," I whispered, "let's get you a nap."

"No," he protested sleepily. "Mr. Edward promised to make a sand castle with me…" His voice trailed off.

"And he will, but a little while later, ok?"

"'kay," he yawned.

"God, he makes me want kids," Rose snickered softly. I chuckled with her as I opened the door to my apartment. I laid Jake down on my couch, grabbing a blanket and wrapping him up. He was asleep before I walked away. I turned on some music really low, classical from Edward's iPod.

"Yeah, me too," I sighed, sitting down on my bed. She joined me, wrapping an arm across my shoulders.

"Have you had the dream yet?" She asked, looking at me. "You know the one where you lose everyone around you?"

I nodded, looking down at my feet. "Yup," I sighed.

"He's not going anywhere," she shook me. I looked up at her and saw her smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. She had been there before with her dad. "He watches you like no one I've ever seen. He was worried about you this morning."

"I know," I smiled, "and he's my best friend. Two in one, huh?" I snorted, looking up at her.

"I'm going to give you advice on this," she sighed. "The grief thing sucks, because just when you think you're ok…bam…it hits you. Hard." She looked down at me with tears in her eyes. "You're gonna want to scream and yell, push people away…cry. But, don't worry. We'll take it, all of it, ok?" She looked at me until I nodded. "You were closer to Charlie, so this is just going to make you think of him more," she grimaced, aching for me. "Just remember, we all love you and it doesn't last forever. I told all of this to them…so, they know what to watch for…ok?" She asked, but didn't wait for my response. "You're gonna get pissed when we just hold on and don't let go. Don't hold grudges." She snorted, looking at me again.

"I won't."

"Good," she sighed, kissing my head. "Now, how long does the little man sleep?"

"No more than an hour," I smiled, looking over at him. "He just needs to recharge his batteries." She laughed softly and nodded. We grabbed a couple of beers, sitting down at my table.

We lost track of time and an hour and a half later, Jake wandered over to me rubbing his eyes. "Hey, sleepyhead," I smiled, pulling him up in my lap.

"Hey," he yawned. "Can I make a sand castle with Mr. Edward now?" He smiled, putting his hands on my face.

"Not easily swayed, are you, Jake?" Rose laughed, standing when I did. I just shook my head.

We walked back out to find everyone sitting on the deck. "Ah, there he is!" Esme beamed. "Did you have a good nap?" She asked him and he just shrugged, hopping down to run to Edward.

"Sand castle," he smiled, tugging on Edward's hand.

"Sweet!" Emmett beamed, getting up.

"Ok, ok," Edward, sighed, but smiled down at him. I fell a little deeper in love with him right there.

With Emmett and Jasper's help, Edward and Jake built the most elaborate sand castle I had ever seen. Not only did it have a draw bridge, but a moat as well. "Impressive, boys," I snickered, walking out to the water to cool off. Not that Florida water cooled you, it was as warm as bath water, but it certainly felt cooler than the sun beaming down on your skin.

I was up to my waist in the water before I felt arms around me. I turned around in Edward's arms pulling him in deeper. His forehead pressed to mine as I wrapped my legs around him. "He puts a smile on your face like I've never seen," he smiled, rubbing his nose against mine.

"_You _put a smile on my face," I smiled, squeezing my legs tighter around him as a wave rolled by us.

"Mmm," he groaned, his eyes closing. "I want to kiss you, but I'm finding it awkward in front of my parents." I snickered, sneaking a look behind him.

"They are quite distracted by Jake, just so you know," I looked up at him. His hands roamed my body under the water, finally resting on my bottom and sliding under my bikini. My eyes rolled at the feel of his hands on me.

"Now?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow at me. I bit my lip and snuck another glance and nodded. His lips crashed into mine and an erotic moan escaped him. With a quick swirl of his tongue with mine, he pulled back. "God, I've wanted to do that all day," he breathed. "And it wasn't enough," he chuckled, his hands squeezing my butt.

"You keep doing that, and we're going to have a problem," I groaned, "right in front of everyone." I laughed as his hands came up out of the water quickly.

We spent the rest of the afternoon with Jake, finally giving him up when Seth came to pick him up at sunset. He came back to run the bar alone as we all headed off our separate ways for the night.

* * *

**A/N…I need to say that I am not pushing anyone to make a decision like that either way. My own mother had a Do Not Resuscitate order above her bed…however, she died of cancer, not a drug overdose. So, saying that…I know it's the hardest decision known to man…**

**As far as drugs go…well, you know drugs are bad, mmm'kay? (Yeah, my inner South Park is coming out…)**

**So, I'm letting you peek into my head a little bit. Bella wasn't close to Renee, but I was to my mother. However, grief is grief… Nightmares, anger, small glimpses of happiness followed by raging tears…it all happens… Anyone that has lost a parent or someone close will know…but I felt I needed to say it anyway…**

**BIG thumbs up for my beta Brits23...she's excellent! I can't praise her enough…**

**Last thing…review…please…love ya…**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N…You guys were pretty quiet last chapter…did I scare you? LOL **

**This chapter has a lot of angst in it…just FYI…I will see you down below.**

* * *

CHAPTER 9

BPOV

"Jesus fucking Christ, Emmett!" I snapped, looking in the dry storage. "I thought you were going for a supply run."

"I was, Bells," he whined, "but, I had to check in the beverage truck yesterday…and the drain in the bar clogged when I was scrubbing the floor. I had to snake it. Relax, I'm going today. Eddie's coming with me."

"No, he's not! He's not an employee, Em. If he gets hurt…"

"Love, I won't get hurt," Edward chuckled until I shot him a hard look.

"I have a couple and a family coming in tomorrow. Don't tell me to relax. Get it done!" I growled, throwing the clipboard at my brother. "Edward's not covered, Emmett. Either take Seth or Jasper or I'll go…and if you take Rose…" I growled, pointing my finger at him.

"Ok, _fuck_!" He groaned, rolling his eyes.

I slammed the door behind me, running into Jasper in the hallway. He was walking with Alice and Esme.

"Before you even ask," Jasper frowned, "I sent Angela home. She had a near panic attack, because the dryer stopped working in the laundry room. She was in tears, Bells."

"Why?" I frowned.

"Because…you're scaring the shit out of her! Now, the repairman will be here today. Angela will be here in the morning. The rooms will still get done."

"Yeah, but…"

"That's it," Edward growled, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. "You're coming with me. Now."

"Edward…" Esme warned, but Jasper's laugh stopped her.

"Edward, put me down!" I yelled.

"I will when I'm damn good and ready!"

He walked us quickly into my room and tossed me on the bed, grabbing my shoulders to make me look at him. "You need to calm down, love."

I folded my arms across my chest, looking away from him. "Barbarian," I muttered.

"That may be, but you aren't far behind," he frowned, kneeling in front of me. "Stop and breathe, Bella. You made Angela _cry_, love. That's not you." He waited for a moment. "Hell, I even think you made Emmett cry…" he muttered.

I snorted and rolled my eyes, but I was beginning to see what I was doing. I was putting my wall back up around me. I didn't want to talk about it. I looked towards the door and flinched.

"You won't make it, baby," he smirked, seeing my scowl. "I'll catch you before you even get off the bed." He stood up, his arms folding across his chest.

"What do you want, Edward?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"I want you to tell me what has you so angry."

"Nothing," I lied, scooting further onto the bed, bringing my knees up and wrapping my arms around them.

"As beautiful as you are when you're angry, I prefer you're smiling face." When he saw that I wasn't going to bolt from the room, he sat down in front of me. "We're going to stay right here until you tell me what's pissing you off." He chuckled when I rolled my eyes. "Trust me when I tell you, love, you _cannot_ out stubborn me." He raised his eyebrow at me. He looked slightly dangerous and like he meant every word he was saying. I sighed, trying not to stare at how damn hot he looked just then. Damn it, I wanted to stay angry.

"Please, Edward, let it go," I whined. "It's nothing. It's not important."

"Anything about you is important to me," he said softly, pulling my hand away from my leg. "Please tell me the phone call I received yesterday isn't bothering you."

I sighed, biting my bottom lip. Edward and I had been watching a movie when the phone call he was talking about came in.

"_Hello?" He answered. "Mr. Mallory," he frowned. "Yes, Lauren told me, but…yes, sir…well, it's a fine offer, sir, but I'm afraid the answer is no." He paused, running his hand through his hair. "No, sir, I'm sure. Thank you for calling, but I will be moving out of Chicago shortly…I appreciate that, sir, thank you."_

_He hung up and snorted. "He just offered me an executive position," he snickered, rolling his eyes._

"_Isn't that something you want?" I asked nervously. _

"_Not there, Bella," he sighed, his face growing serious. "He was offering out of guilt. He knew he shouldn't have listened to Lauren." He studied my face as I frowned._

"_Yeah, but…if it's something…" I shrugged, not knowing what I wanted to say. _

"_Not a chance," he frowned, taking my face in his hands. "Forget about it, love."_

"_But, don't you need a job, Edward?" I asked, looking up at him._

"_No," he said simply. "I've invested what my parents have given me very well, but I will want a job eventually…just not that one." _

"_Ok," was all I said and he let it go. _

Here we were and it was bothering me. "It wasn't until I got my own phone calls this morning," I frowned, looking out the window.

"Calls…as in more than one?" He clarified.

"Yeah," I sighed. "The police called, Phil is out on bail…I don't know why that bothered me, but it did."

"And the other one?"

"James called," I said through my teeth. "You know what he wanted?" I asked almost yelling, looking back at Edward and he shook his head. The moment I mentioned James, Edward's whole body stiffened. I could see that it angered him. "He wanted to know where my mother was, so he could get in touch with her dealer…he wanted pot."

I got up and paced the room. "This shit will follow me forever…" I whispered, my brow furrowed. "You should take that job, Edward. It has to be better than this," I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Are you serious?" He was angry. "Are we doing this again?" He stood up and walked to me. "You're trying to send me away again? Don't even try it!"

"I'm not trying to send you away…I just don't get it…why are you giving everything up…" I floundered. "Forget it." I could take anything, but Edward mad at me. I looked up into his face and saw he was angry and I sat down hard on my sofa. I bit my lip, trying not to cry.

"I'm not giving anything up," his eyes closed in frustration. "I want to be here…with you…don't you want that too?" He asked, sitting down beside me. He put his hands in his hair and I hated that I was doing this. I wasn't able to stop myself either.

"Yes," I sobbed, not able to stop it. It's all I wanted. I wanted him to stay to never leave. "Why do I feel guilty about wanting you here?"

"I don't know," he sighed, shaking his head. "But, at least _this time _you're being honest," he snapped and my heart shattered. He stood up and walked to the door. When he opened it, I heard Esme.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, get your behind to my room. Now!" I hadn't heard her call him by his full name in anger since we were seniors in high school when she had found out we all skipped school to go to a concert in Seattle with Emmett.

"Aw, Mom," he whined, sounding just like he did then.

"Now, damn it," she huffed.

I fell over on my couch into a ball as soon as the door closed behind him. I scrunched up the throw that was laying there and felt my heart breaking. In all our lives, Edward never got mad at me. He always had a sarcastic sexy comment or something sweet to make it better. He _never_ walked out of the room on me.

"Damn it, Bella," Rose sighed, kneeling beside me. "Stop it," she sniffled with me. "We aren't leaving you. Stop pushing." She lifted me up and pulled me to her. "He's not mad at you, I promise, he's just frustrated. They all are…and they don't fucking listen," she whispered. "I told them you have to get this out of your system," she said, kissing the top of my head. She rocked me back and forth, running her hand over my head as I lost it all. "It's not his job offer that's got you upset, Bells, I swear. It's the call from James. You are just focusing on what you _think _you can fix."

I looked up at her, confused.

"The walls are thinner than you think," she snorted and pointed to the wall that separated mine and Emmett's room. She laughed when I groaned. "Don't sweat it, we can't hear you anyway," she smiled, her eyebrow rising.

"Thank God," I sniffled.

"I told you days ago that things would remind you of her and that it would hit you hard…I told you that you would get angry. Do you know why?" She asked, making me look at her. I just shook my head. "How tired of crying are you?" I just huffed and rolled my eyes. "Exactly. Anger is such an easy emotion, sweetie. It feels good, you can control it…for a while. Then, it starts to take over. Then…you're pissed about everything."

"That was today," I sighed, wiping my face.

"Yes," she nodded, "I heard. You made Emmett cry." I felt like shit. I just shook my head and sighed. "Don't worry, he gets it now, I reminded him. Now, as for these phone calls, Bells…you've got to let it go. Renee's extracurricular activities were her own…you could have told James to kiss your ass when she was alive. You can still do it now."

"I know," I nodded weakly.

"It took you by surprise."

"Yes."

"It happens, Bella." She thought for a moment. "You know, it was my dad that taught me how to fix cars," she started and I nodded. "Ok, well, he owned a sixty-five Ford Mustang Shelby. You know…like from the movie _"Gone in Sixty Seconds"_?" She asked, looking at me.

"Eleanor," I smiled and sniffled.

"Yup," she nodded. "Eleanor. Ok, well, We worked on it for my entire childhood and right into my early twenties. He resold it, giving me half the profits. It's how I opened my shop." She smiled at the memory. "The first time someone brought one of those in to be fixed after he had died, Bells, I lost it, locking myself in my office for the rest of the day."

"What did you do?"

"I called the guy and told him I couldn't fix it," she sighed, shaking her head. "He came and picked it up. I felt my Dad would have been disappointed." She closed her eyes, fighting her own battle with tears.

"But, don't you have one of those in the back of your shop?" I asked, remembering it the last time I was there.

"Yup," she nodded. "I bought it as a reminder that he's everywhere, Bella. I can't stop it. Even though I'm not fixing it, it's still there to keep me grounded…to keep me running."

I nodded, standing up at her words. "Where are you going? If you run away, you'll kill those boys, Bells. All they want is to help you…Ali too. Even Edward's parents are worried."

"I'm running, but not away," I said, pulling a pair of shorts out of my drawer and then a sports bra. "I need to sweat this shit out of my system."

"Right or left?" It was all she asked and I looked up at her. "He's going to want to know," she shrugged. "He loves you, Bella, you can't push him away this time. That's why he's frustrated." She stood up and cupped my face. "He wants to be here…wants you…though, the way you've acted, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't bury you in the sand." I laughed a short barking laugh. "So, which way…he'll ask, I swear…"

"Left," I sighed, dressing in front of her.

"How far?"

"Until I stop," I frowned, grabbing my iPod and finding the loudest, angriest music on there. "That's all I can give you, Rose."

"Fair enough."

I took off out of my room, passing Emmett and Jasper in the hallway. I darted down the stairs and out the deck doors. It was brutally hot, but I stretched anyway and took off.

EPOV

"Look, Chicago Edward is back," my sister sniped when I sat down in my mother's room. I rolled my eyes, leaning back in the chair.

"Not helping, Mary Alice," my mother bit back. She turned back to me and let loose. "Edward, you aren't handling this well at all. And. You. Will. Lose. Her." Her finger was pointing at me. My heart broke at those words, knowing she was right. "She needs you to be a rubber mat right now…you have to let these things bounce off of you. That's not our Bella, that's a grieving Bella and you know it!" All I could do is nod. "And for you to throw the past in her face, son, I could just…" Her eyes closed in frustration.

"What do you know about it?" I growled, shaking my head.

"More than you think!" She snapped, her eyes growing dark. I narrowed my eyes at Alice as she fidgeted in her spot. "I know that girl loved you enough at eighteen to let you go, because it was _what you needed_…can you say you would have done the same?" She didn't wait for my answer, but I didn't have one. I was selfish when it came to Bella. "I know that Charlie called me just after we moved, telling me that she was miserable enough to move all the way here. I know that you were miserable. So, she lied…this has nothing to do with it."

"I know," I sighed, leaning my head back. I haven't been yelled at by my mother in forever. I deserved every word.

"She loves you enough to want _you_ to be happy. She's not right now, so in her eyes she believes you'll be unhappy if you stay with her, get it?" She sat down beside my sister on the bed.

"Oh God," I groaned, covering my face. She was so right. "Shit, I'm such an asshole."

"Yes, you are," Alice sighed.

"No, you're not," Mom looked at Alice hard. "You're worried for her, son. It's hard to see someone you love change almost overnight. It's not her, sweetie. Please, try to keep that in mind." She thought for a minute. "Before I met your father, I was dating a young man in college. His parents were killed in a car accident. I was young, I didn't know why he would yell and get angry at the drop of a hat. We didn't last, obviously. But, you know what happened to him?" Alice and I shook our heads. "He's the president of a pharmaceutical company now, but he's still alone and his employees hate him. He's angry and bitter. He successfully pushed everyone he knew away. Do you want Bella to do that?"

"No!" I shook my head.

"Then you keep your temper in check, Edward. This isn't about you," my father said, walking in the door. "I've explained that more times than I can count to families, but not my own." He sighed, sitting in the chair beside me. "I've offered her medication, but she adamantly refuses. I understand, no drugs for her…she would never want it. She says it's enough that Rose drags her every three months for a shot." He raised his eyebrow at me. "Bella wouldn't want to be anything like her mother. Even if it would help her."

"No, she wouldn't," I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Edward, she wasn't close to her mother, but she was still her mother. And there are still stages of grief…she's angry right now. Don't let her succeed in what she's trying to do. If there's no one left, then it can't hurt anymore." Dad leaned over, putting a hand on my shoulder and standing up. "She's so strong in some ways, son, but not in others."

I sat up, putting my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands. I stood up, saying, "I need to talk to her."

"That's probably a good idea," Dad smiled.

I opened the door to their room and ran into Emmett. "She's running," he sighed. I heard Alice groan behind me.

"What?" I panicked, thinking she left again. In the state I had left her, there was no way of telling how long it would take her to come back.

"No! That's not what I meant," Emmett frowned, putting his hands on my shoulders. "No, dude, she went for a run." I sighed, my body relaxing. "So, I'm taking you with me anyway. Let's give her some time and I'll bring you right back."

I hated leaving without knowing where Bella was. Not knowing if she was still upset, whether she was safe -- it was ripping a hole in my chest. It was _my_ words, my thoughtlessness that did the damage this time. That fact alone, having fought my whole life to protect her, was making me sick.

Emmett and I didn't say much as we did what we needed to do. It took a couple of hours to pick up the supplies, bring them back and unload them. By the time we were done, I was really hoping Bella would be back in her room, but I walked in to find it empty. The silence was deafening.

"She's not back yet," Rose sighed, her eyes sad. She was leaning in the doorway.

"Which way?" I asked, sitting down hard on the bed.

"Left."

I nodded once at her, but couldn't make my feet move. I was scared shitless. "I fucked up, Rose," I sighed.

"No, you didn't," she shook her head.

"Yeah," I breathed out. "I swore to her that I didn't care about the past and then I threw it in her face…just when she needed me to truly ignore it."

"Do you care?" She asked, her head tilting. "About the past, I mean…do you give a shit?"

"No."

"You know, when she found out you were coming here with Alice, it scared the shit out of her," she said, coming in and shutting the door. She stood in front of me, her hands on her hips. "Not because she still loved you…not because her brothers missed you…no, it was more than that. She was absolutely sure that her guilt would show on her face. She was sure that if you found out she pushed you to do the right thing, you would hate her." She stopped for a moment, her eyes sizing me up. "It killed her to lie to you…I asked her about it. I found her crying the day Alice called and added a room for you. And when I see the way that she looks at you now, she must have had to _die_ inside to get that lie out."

"I know…I just…"

"Stop, because you don't know, Edward. What you don't know is that she never brought that part of herself back. When it died, it stayed dead…until you walked into the bar, sweetie…then, I watched as the friend I thought I knew changed instantly."

Rose sighed, saying, "It sucks losing a parent. Whether you're close to them or not, it just sucks. Hold on to yours, Edward. They are good people. You're a part of them, they are what makes you, you. There are holes that can't be filled…there are reminders everywhere…in sunsets, in movies, in stupid _phone _conversations," she raised her eyebrow at me. "Fuck, I found myself crying over a TV commercial once." She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I couldn't stop either," she snorted humorlessly.

I stood up quietly, "I get it. She can't help it."

"She can with your help," she sighed. "I didn't have anyone but my employees. I had almost pushed everyone away until I met Em. And he was too funny to resist."

I snickered. "He is that."

When my feet hit the sand of the beach, it was really late in the afternoon. The sun was a burning, deep orange surrounded by pinks and blues. It was hanging over the horizon, slowly sinking down to try and drown itself out for the day. It was breathtaking.

She was on the next pier down, sitting on top of the rail. The pier must have been used for fishing, because there were a few poles left reeled in, but unattended. The rail she was sitting on was a wider surface on top, like it was used to set things on.

She was sitting with her legs bent at the knee, her arms resting on top and her iPod was in her hand. She was staring out over the water towards the sunset. She was wearing running shorts and a sports bra, both in black, and her hair was in a ponytail, though I could see that she was still sweaty. I shook my head, thinking it didn't matter how she dressed, I thought she was the most beautiful thing ever.

I approached her slowly, not knowing what to expect. I deserved anything she decided to do. She looked down at her iPod and changed a song, wiping her face and turning back to the water. With every step I took, I could hardly breathe, my fear of screwing this up grew fierce.

BPOV

I ran until my legs felt like rubber, until I couldn't see through my tears, until every breath I took cut through my lungs like broken glass. I went way further than my normal five miles and found myself on the private beaches. That's when I stopped running and started walking back towards home, taking my time.

The angry music I started with eventually gave way to hip hop and then, without even realizing it, I was listening to my playlist of songs that had always reminded me of Edward. It was old, new, classical, soul, country. It was things he'd played on the piano, things we'd known as kids, songs with words that meant something to me, songs that we had made love to, music where the words said things I was unable to say, and songs that punished me for lying to him from the start. The whole damn playlist was just proof that I had missed him and thought about him over the six years we were apart. Proof that not one day went by that he didn't seep into my thoughts -- whether I knew it or not.

I heard the music, but only certain phrases or lyrics would catch my attention, making me cringe or cry, smile or groan.

"_Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry. You don't know how lovely you are. Had to find you, tell you I need you, tell you I set you apart. Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions. Oh let's go back to the start. Running in circles, coming up tails. Heads on a silence apart. Nobody said it was easy. Oh it's such a shame for us to part. Nobody said it was easy. No one ever said that it would be this hard. Oh take me back to the start."_

I grimaced at _"The Scientist"_. It was something I used to listen to when it was hard to resist calling Edward and begging his forgiveness. It was something that happened often after Alice would call, telling me he was with someone new or had just broken up with someone.

As the sun started to go down, I wandered up one of the fishing piers, pulling myself up on the rail to watch the water. Tears rolled down my face as Brian McKnight's _"Anytime"_ played. It was like a punch in the gut.

I felt more than heard footsteps on the pier and from the corner of my eye, I saw Edward standing there. I turned off my iPod, pulling the ear buds from my ears, but I didn't look at him. I couldn't. He was running his hands through his hair, looking sadder than I'd seen in some time. I rested my chin back on my arms and looked out over the water.

Edward took a seat quietly on a bench off to the side, his arms resting on his knees. "I need to apologize, Bella."

"No, you don't," I whispered, shaking my head, still not looking at him, but fighting tears at just the sound of his voice.

"I acted like an ass, I do," he nodded, trying to get me to look at him. "See, love," my eyes closed at the term of endearment that he used with me, tears leaking down my face. "I didn't listen earlier…I _heard _you, but I didn't _listen_. If I had, then I would have realized that it was James' call that bothered you…" He stopped, looking down as his feet. "Having to tell him about Renee started your day off all wrong, baby. I'm so sorry."

He stood up and walked over to stand next to me. "How I reacted…it was so stupid, Bella. I should have never said those things, please look at me." I shook my head, trying to control my breathing. "I get it now, baby. I've had my ass handed to me by every woman back at the house," he shook his head. "I was so jealous when you said he called…and then you turn around and tell me to go…I just…I lost it, love. I can't tell you how wrong I was…I know it's no excuse."

My eyes finally locked with his. "I don't want James." I was angry that he would get that from just a phone call.

"I know that…and I showed you a side of myself that you haven't seen…Alice calls it Chicago Edward," he snorted, but frowned. "He wasn't nice…you wouldn't have liked him at all. You would have probably told him so." He smiled, tucking a stray hair behind my ear and I shivered at his touch. "Alice threatened to drown him in the Gulf of Mexico," he pointed over his shoulder to the water and I rolled my eyes. "He was short tempered and he drank too much. He organized his life into sections. He used people to get what he thought he wanted, but he could never figure out what it was that he _really _wanted…until he got here."

I frowned at the description he gave me of himself, trying hard to imagine it. The Edward I knew growing up was protective, sweet and sensitive, sometimes a little silly. The one I knew now was still all of that plus sexy and kind, sarcastic and supportive.

"I don't care about the lie, Bella," he whispered, cupping my face. "I swear I don't. It was my knee-jerk reaction to another man calling you, especially one you shared a past with." I started to say something, but he interrupted me. "I know you don't want him…I don't care about him. He doesn't matter. We do." He motioned between us. "Because if I don't have this…I don't have anything…I don't need a job or a place to live or _air_…I need you." He watched my face and I'm sure that my doubt was all over it. I didn't doubt his words or his sincerity, I doubted me. "Hmm," he mused. "If I told you I was unhappy…you'd let me go…" He presented it like a question.

I nodded, closing my eyes and bracing myself.

"But what if I told you that being here…being with _you_…was the only thing that made me happy?" I could see in his eyes that he meant it. There wasn't a lie to be found. "I know that you think you know what's best for me," he winked, trying to lighten this whole thing up. "But, really…this time you're wrong. Last time, maybe…" He shrugged and I snorted, not able to help myself.

He turned me around on the rail so that was facing him. "I love you and I want to be here as long as you do too." He stepped between my legs, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Please, forgive me for my asinine behavior."

"I'm sorry too," I breathed, looking down at my hands.

"You don't need to apologize to me."

"Yeah…I was out of control. The anger felt so good," I shook my head. "Because it wasn't sadness." I looked up at him and he nodded like he knew what I meant. "Even when I saw what I was doing, I couldn't stop. I made you mad, Emmett and Angela cry…hell, even Jasper's pissed and I couldn't stop myself. It snowballed."

He brushed my hair back. "We just wish we could make it all go away for you, sweetheart."

"I know," I sobbed. "And I love you all for it." I couldn't breathe and Edward tried in vain to wipe the tears away. He leaned towards me and I stopped him with a shake of my head. "Edward," I sighed, closing my eyes, "I know you _think_ you may not care about my lies, but it's evident that you do. If you got upset about a phone call from an ex…you don't trust me," I looked up at him. The hurt in his face broke my heart.

"What are you saying, Bella?" He backed away from me slightly.

"What I'm saying…is that we need time. This," I pointed back and forth between us, "won't work if you can't trust me. We moved so fast, Edward."

"Was it? Was it too fast for you?" He tilted his head at me like he was trying to read my mind. "I trust you with my life. I want nothing more than this." He meant every word. I saw it in his eyes.

"I've loved you since the say I knocked you and Alice into the leaves," I shook my head, then looked at my hands. "That won't ever change. But, I saw the pain from the mistake I made written all over your face. Do you know that the whole time I've known you, you've never gotten really mad at me?" I looked up at him. His face was frozen like he was afraid to move. "Even when I told you I didn't want you…that stupid fucking lie, Edward…you weren't angry. You were _mad _today. I did that and I deserve it, but it proved to me that you do care about it."

"So what?" He snapped. "I know why you did it…" He cupped my face. "Tell me what to do, baby…I'll do it…to the letter I'll do it. Because you can't deny what we have, Bella, you can't. It may have moved fast this time, but look at me. I see the way your breathing changes when I'm this close, here," he put my hand on his chest and his heart was beating hard, "Feel that? That's what you do to me." His eyebrows were furrowed in frustration.

"We didn't find what we were looking for anywhere else but _right here_," he said the last two words through gritted teeth. "You know why I don't care about the lie?" He asked, his voice raising. "Ask your brothers…ask Alice…I said this the night you ran away…I would have done _anything _you told me to then. I still will. So, what? What, Bella? Tell me what you want me to do."

I pushed him back and I jumped down off the rail. I took a few steps. "I want you to yell at me…tell me how wrong I was." I turned on him. "I made a decision that affected our _lives,_ Edward. Six years! For six years, I wanted to tell Alice to hand you the phone so I could tell you the truth…six years of thinking I did the right thing, but it felt all wrong. Six years of missing you so completely, that no other man could compare. Tell me, Edward…tell me what it was like for you!"

"Is that what you want?" He took a step towards me. "Would that ease your guilt, love?" I nodded, wiping tears from my face and leaning against the rail. I looked past him, seeing the sun was almost gone. The beaches were just about empty and we were the only ones on the pier.

"Ok, fine." He sat down on the bench. "I was miserable, Bella. Alice had to dress me, point me to class, and make sure I ate. Then the pain turned into callousness. I dated, but it was…I was so cold with them. You have no idea." He frowned, shaking his head. "Never did they have brown hair or brown eyes…you asked about Lauren being blonde? She was the opposite of you…it had to be that way. I never gave them all of me…if I even gave anything. They would get what they got when I decided they could have it." He stood up, turning around to look out over the water that was now black.

"You've met Lauren and I've told you about Jane…and Tanya," he snorted without humor, "she was the devil. She taught me that drinking made everything bad go away." He turned back to me. "After college, I got my job at Jensen and Mallory. I met Lauren…like I told you…but, she liked the way I looked and I liked that her father was who he was. I used her and she used me. I worked and was good at it, but every time a new client came along, it was Lauren that pushed for me to get it. You keep wondering why I could leave that job…I only got where I was because of her. I never want that again…I want to earn it or have no job at all."

He looked up at me and sat back down. "I would have given anything to have Alice hand me the phone. I wanted to hear your voice so badly." Tears ran down my face at his last admission. "Oh, but, Bella…seeing you again for the first time," he shook his head slowly with a slight smile on his face, "it was like heaven and hell wrapped in one."

"Why?" I breathed, wondering what his heaven and hell was like. I damn sure felt the same way when I saw him sitting at my bar after six years.

"Because, I felt everything all at once…my wall crash away, the comfort that your presence has always brought, the feelings I had buried that never went away…all of it. And you were so fucking beautiful," his breath hitched. His heaven and hell was exactly like mine. "I never felt more whole than I did stepping into that easy thing we have…and it's easy because it's supposed to be. Come here, please." I walked over to him and he made me stand between his legs. "All this…isn't about lies, love…it's about pushing me away…I won't let it happen."

I looked down at the tears that were streaming down his face and tried to wipe them away. "I'm sorry," I whispered, brushing the hair from his face.

"That's the last apology I want for that lie," he sighed. He wrapped his arms around me, his head pressed into my stomach. "I love you so much," he murmured against my skin, placing a kiss there when my stomach jerked. I ran my fingers through his hair for a few moments. "Can I stop yelling at you now? 'Cause I'm hating it." He asked, raising his head up to look at me.

I laughed a short, sniffly laugh and nodded. "Yes, I needed it, though," I sighed, pressing my forehead to his.

"You think you do, love," he smiled softly, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around my waist again. "There's so much working on you right now, it has to be overwhelming. And I didn't help today."

"Thank you for not giving up…even though I was close," I sighed, my breath hitching. "I want you here, I swear. I know I push, but I do. I've never wanted anything more. I love you." My breath hitched on the last word.

"I know, love," he whispered, smiling sweetly, but I could still see tears in his eyes. I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. With a deep breath, he pulled me to his lap. I could taste the salt from his tears and my hands cupped the side of his face to try and brush them away. With a sob from the both of us, we turned our heads to sink deeper into each other. His hand cradled my head while his other arm was wrapped around my waist to hold me close.

I slid my hands to his hair, pulling lightly and hoping for the moan I was rewarded with instantly. I whimpered when his teeth grazed my bottom lip, sucking it back in.

Reality snapped to me quickly and I pulled back. "Oh God," I breathed. "As much as I want to finish this, I have to work the bar tonight."

"What about taking it slow?" He asked, smirking at me and chuckling when I smacked his shoulder. "Ok," he sighed, picking me up with him when he stood. "I reserve a bar stool, though. I have to be with you…"

"Hmm," I smiled, "and maybe a dance too." He nodded, kissing my forehead and setting me down.

"Bella, please stop pushing me away…I don't want to go," he whispered, cupping my face.

"I don't want you to," I shook my head. He kissed me again until my knees went weak, until my heart was pounding.

We walked back, holding hands. "You got your ass handed to you?" I asked, just realizing what he had said.

He chuckled and nodded. "My mother was brutal," he snickered, picking up our entwined hands and kissing mine. "You would think Rose would be the tough one, but nope," he shook his head with a slight smile. "I think Jasper's right, Mom does love you more than anyone else." I laughed, looking up at him.

We made our way through the deck doors and Emmett was waiting for us. It looked like he was sweating bullets. "Em, I'm really sorry…" I started.

"Nope," he held a hand up to me. "No biggie…but, you should know…Seth can't make it tonight…he's sick. The problem is that I have plans with Rosie and Jasper and Alice are already out."

"I'll work with you, love," Edward squeezed my hand. "I was going to be there anyway."

"Ok," I sighed, smiling. "Then, let's do this."

With a quick shower, we dressed quickly to try and catch up in the bar. It was Friday night and we were packed. Edward stayed behind the bar and I ran the tables. We fell into an amazing groove, playing around all night. It was like a fog had been lifted from me.

Ice was the weapon of choice when we weren't busy. It went down my shirt and his jeans on more than one occasion. We were busted by his parents at one point who had come in for a drink and to check on me. They just shook their heads and laughed at us.

Esme snickered, watching her son shake an ice cube out of his jeans leg as I brought her another drink. "Did he deserve it?" She smiled, raising her eyebrow.

"Of course," I laughed, "he told the guy at the end of the bar that my shirt was a warning label!" I snorted, shaking my head. I was wearing a t-shirt that said "Cranky When Provoked". Carlisle read it and laughed quietly on the other side of the table.

"What about the red head staring at him?" Esme asked, raising an eyebrow at me again.

"He hasn't asked for help with her yet," I smirked, looking over at her. She was watching every move he made in those damn tight jeans that were sitting low on his hips. The tight black t-shirt didn't help either, showing off every muscle and occasionally a little of his stomach.

"Help?" Carlisle snorted.

"He doesn't know?" I asked Esme, laughing. She just shook her head and snickered.

"No, there's no way to explain that thing you two do," she smiled over at her husband. He just looked confused.

"Ok, just wait," I nodded, watching the girl reach out and stroke his arm with one long, painted nail. Edward looked up at me and I saw the pleading face. "There it is," I smiled.

"Watch, Carlisle." Esme giggled, clapping her hands like her daughter. "They've been doing this for years."

I walked up to the bar, kneeling on a barstool close to hers. When he turned around, his smirk was deadly. "Hi, handsome," I purred, leaning on both hands on top of the bar.

"Hey, beautiful," he smiled, setting a beer in front of the guy to my right. I could feel the fiery stare from the girl on my left. "What can I do for you?" He asked, leaning the same way I was.

"Hmm," I mused, biting my bottom lip. "That list is long and slightly twisted," I smiled, licking my lip and looking him up and down.

"We should compare notes some time, love," he snickered, his eyes darkening just a bit.

"But, I was just wondering where you got those jeans, baby," I purred, looking down.

"Couldn't tell you," he smirked, knowing where I was going with this. We had done this one at a movie theatre once. "They were a gift. Why? Do they look ok?" He asked, hooking his thumbs in the front pockets. I heard the girl next to me moan and it was all I could do not to laugh.

I shook my head no. "Uh uh…better than ok…they look really good, baby. But, they would look phenomenal crumpled up on my floor."

He looked up at the clock. "Only a few more hours, love," his voice was pure silk as he leaned closer to me over the bar. "And we'll test that theory," he raised his eyebrow sexily. With that, the red head slapped a few bills on the bar and left. Edward snickered, "Thanks."

"Anytime," I laughed and he kissed me quickly. I walked back over to his parents and Esme was in hysterics.

"Every time," she snorted, "it works every time."

"How long have you two been doing that?" Carlisle asked, smiling and looking from the bar to me.

"Since Edward was about fourteen," I snickered. "It started at the malls and movies, but carried over to school eventually."

"Oh damn," Alice frowned sitting next to her mom, "did we miss them doing it?" Esme nodded and told her about it. "Dad, you didn't know?" She laughed, shaking her head.

"No, but it's brilliant," he snickered, slapping Jasper's back as he sat down next to him.

"Did she chase one off?" Jasper asked, smiling when we all nodded. "That's the best." He winked at me, seeing my mood was a thousand times better.

Edward came from behind the bar to stand next to me. He didn't say anything, but slipped an ice cube down the back of my shirt. I squealed as he took off running, leaving me to shake it out. "Paybacks, Cullen," I growled, listening to his family laugh. He just shrugged from behind the bar, smiling. I couldn't fault him. He had made it the best night I had ever worked.

Rose and Emmett joined us just before closing, turning on the jukebox. It was like a family night. Edward and I cleaned up the bar, laughing and joking with everyone as we went. It was the first time in a few days that I had felt human again. I knew why too.

I got up and searched the jukebox and found what I was looking for. I didn't want to dance to it, but the words were important to me. _"Halo" _by Beyonce had words I didn't have the guts to say. Once it started, Alice and Rose smiled at me, coming to sit next to me and singing along with it like fools. Edward just smiled sweetly at me.

Jasper stood up, smiling and putting another song on. _"Only You Can Love Me This Way"_ by Keith Urban started and Alice, Rose and I all swooned. "Nice," Rose smiled and nodded. He took Alice off to dance as I finally locked the doors for the night.

It was all unspoken. The music that was being played was saying what everyone in the room needed said. Carlisle hopped up and studied the song list. He asked for Esme's hand as _"I Want To Know What Love Is"_ by Foreigner started.

Edward sat down behind me, wrapping his arms around me. "Mine is next," he whispered in my ear.

"Good," I smiled, leaning against him.

When Carlisle's song was over, Edward pulled me up. "Come on, love, you promised me a dance," he smiled.

The piano at the beginning of _"Love Brings Change"_ by Jamie Foxx made me realize why Edward picked the song. That is, until I heard the words. He had received my message from my song and this was his answer back to me. It was all about how things will look up eventually. There was one line that caused tears to well up in my eyes.

"_Now all I wanna do is see ya laugh again and see that same joy in your eyes. I know that you're trying you just keep on smiling and everything passes with time."_

Edward just held me close, kissing my forehead and telling me he loved me.

We all laughed when Emmett got up with a giant smile and played _"Crazy For This Girl"_ by Evan and Jaron. Rose just laughed at him, kissing him quickly. We all sang along except Carlisle and Esme who just shook their heads at us, their "kids".

I groaned quietly when Rose unwittingly picked _"Nice and Slow"_ by Usher. Edward chuckled in my ear. "I wasn't too drunk to remember that song." I laughed, shaking my head. "Come on, baby, you have a theory to test, don't you?" He asked, raising his eyebrow at me.

"Hmm," I looked at him. "That's right, I do." We told everyone goodnight and my brothers promised they would shut the rest of the bar down. We barely made it down the hall, but I did find out my theory was correct. Edward's jeans looked fantastic on my floor.

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**A/N…First, "Halo" couldn't have better lyrics for that moment…I just have to say that! LOL**

**Anyway, thank you to my beautiful beta Brits23...she was harsh on me this chapter! LOL But, I love her for it…**

**REVIEWS! Please!!! PLEEEEASE?!?! I will resort to begging, I kid you not! LOL**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N…I have to say you guys rock…your main concern was that they finally got everything out in the open…**

**Here's your update…just a fun chapter…**

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CHAPTER 10

BPOV

I looked down at the beautiful man sleeping next to me. I traced lazy lines across Edward's bare back, turning to stare out my window into the rainy morning. I needed to get up, but was having a hard time leaving my bed and the reason was just under my fingertips.

The day before had been an emotional roller coaster for me, but after getting it all out of my system, I felt like a weight had been lifted from me. I felt lighter, freer than I had in a few days. Edward wasn't going anywhere and I was reveling in it.

I, however, needed to get up. With a sigh and an internal groan, I slid quietly out from under the covers, pulling a t-shirt over me. "No," Edward whined into his pillow, "don't stop."

I smiled down at him. "Sorry, baby," I sighed. "I need to help Angela this morning. I owe her that…and an apology."

He rolled over, looking sweetly up at me. "It's raining," he pouted sleepily. "What would it take to get you to stay in bed with me all day?" He asked, stretching and yawning. I watched as every muscle rippled and the sheet slipped down, revealing the slight growth of hair just below his bellybutton.

"Not much," I groaned. "Please don't tempt me," I shook my head. Who was I kidding? Edward's picture was next to the definition of the word temptation in the dictionary.

"I will sink that low, don't make me," he raised his eyebrow. I groaned, forcing myself to turn away.

"Fine," I sighed, turning back to him. "How about this? How about when I'm finished, I come straight back here…with food…" I raised my own eyebrow, "and we hang out until it's time for the bar."

"Are we working together again?" He asked, smiling.

"Yes, Seth's off and your parents are taking Alice and Jasper out. Emmett and Rose have another date. I might as well hire you permanently," I smiled, shrugging my shoulders.

"Deal," he nodded. "I don't care what the offer is, I'll take the job." He smirked, opening his arms for me to join him back in bed.

"Not a chance," I laughed, backing away. "I'll never get out of here."

"Exactly," he chuckled. "Ok, go do what you have to do…Charlie!" He smiled as my traitor cat crawled up by his pillow and curled up.

"See? Now you have company," I snickered. Edward rolled his eyes at me, but smiled down at Charlie, petting him in long, slow strokes. Suddenly, I was very jealous of my cat.

"Rowl," he yawned up at him. I loved that he adored Edward. They were too cute together.

I showered and dressed quickly, telling Edward I loved him on the way to the door. I stopped with my hand on the doorknob, smiling. He was asleep again, his arm around Charlie. It took all I had not to join them. I slipped quietly out the door.

Angela jumped when I joined her in the laundry room. "Oh, God Ang," I frowned. "I'm so sorry about yesterday."

"You look much better today," she smiled, hugging me. "I'm pretty sure I can guess that handsome thing of yours has something to do with it." She winked at me and laughed.

"You have no idea," I smiled. "Come on, let's get this done. Edward and I have to work tonight."

Within no time, the laundry was done and the rooms were ready. I was just about to head into the kitchen when the couple I was expecting arrived.

Jasper welcomed them in, catching me as I walked by. "Bells, before you run off…I know you have things _to do…_this is Mr. and Mrs. Simmons…it's their first anniversary."

My skin crawled at the way the husband looked me over. "David…please," he smiled, holding out his hand. I took it, but almost yanked it back. His palm was sweaty. It was like gripping a dead fish.

"Jessica Stanley _hyphen _Simmons," she corrected my brother with a smile. Jasper and I caught each other's eye, trying not to laugh.

"Well, welcome in Jessica and David…Jasper will see that you have anything you need, but if you don't, just let us know," I smiled, turning back to my brother. "Edward and I have the bar tonight…you guys have fun."

"Bar, huh?" David asked, smirking. "Honey, we'll have to check that out." Jessica just shrugged, looking at her nails. Their body language told it all. He was a step ahead of her and she leaned away from him. One year into their marriage and they hated it. He was openly gawking at me and she could care less.

"Good," I smiled and turned away, rolling my eyes to myself. "Oh," I caught myself, "Jazz, don't forget…there's a family coming…"

"I got it, Bells," he smiled, "go…do…what was it you were planning to do?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Make some lunch, Jasper…" I sneered, knowing he knew exactly why I was in a hurry.

"Riiiight," he laughed, "have _fun_." He waved, taking the unhappy couple up to their room.

I came back to my room, carrying a tray of food. I just about groaned at the sight on my bed. Wearing just blue plaid pajama bottoms, laying on his stomach, was Edward being ignorantly sexy again. He was reading a newspaper, but the TV was on. He got up, taking the tray from me. "Hey," he smiled, kissing my head. "That took way too long," he frowned, setting the tray on the bed.

"Yeah, sorry," I sighed, sitting on the bed with him. "The couple checked in just before I was about to head into the kitchen." My nose wrinkled with the memory.

"What's the face for?" He asked, chuckling, his brow wrinkled.

"Just wait until you meet them," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "They are here for their anniversary and it's like they hate each other already. And he's kind of…well, creepy." I truly laughed.

"Damn," he chuckled with me. "Ok, so your choices…" he pointed to the TV. "There's a 'Friends' marathon on…or I raided Emmett's video collection…"

"Ew!" I gasped. "Edward!" Emmett had an absurd amount of porn stashed in his room. It was disturbing.

"No!" He laughed, shaking his head and holding up his hands. "Not _that_ collection!"

"Oh," I wrinkled my nose. "Ok, no to 'Friends'."

"You used to love that show…"

"I stopped watching when Ross and Rachel broke up," I frowned, still thinking it was a terrible injustice to the TV world. He rolled his eyes at me, handing me the stack of DVDs that he had pilfered from my brother's room. "I sense a theme, baby," I smiled at his chuckle. All of the movies were beach or water related. "Oh, not '_Beaches_'…Alice and I needed therapy after that one….hmmm, this one…" I handed him _"Pirates of the Caribbean"._

The rain poured down as we settled into the movie and ate lunch. I had brought back sandwiches and a fruit tray with strawberry yogurt dip. We were lying on our stomachs, side by side, facing the TV. The sandwiches were long gone, but the fruit was between us.

I didn't look up when I went for the last strawberry and our hands met. "That's the biggest strawberry I've ever seen," Edward smirked.

"And the last one," I teased, dipping it into the yogurt and bringing it to my mouth. I watched as he licked his own lips as I took a bite, his eyes on my mouth. "Here, it's big enough to share." I dipped it back into the yogurt, holding it up to his mouth.

He grabbed my hand and bit down on it. Juice and yogurt ran down my hand. "Hmm, sorry about that," he said with his mouth full. Still holding my hand, he licked the trail from my hand. "If you didn't taste sweet enough already…" he mumbled, sticking his finger in the yogurt and rubbing it across my bottom lip. "I wonder…"

He leaned towards me, taking my bottom lip in his mouth and swirling his tongue across it. He backed away before the kiss could go any further. "Yeah, that's really good," he breathed, licking his lips.

"Really?" I smirked. "Let me try." Dipping my own finger in, I drew a line across his jaw to his bottom lip, leaning over and sucking it lightly off his skin. I nibbled it off his mouth, causing him to smile. It was fantastic. "Mm, you're right."

Movie. What movie?

"Roll over," he whispered, dipping his finger in again. I laid on my back, watching him loom over me. He lifted up the tank top I was wearing, revealing my stomach. With a quick swipe, he left yogurt from my sternum all the way to the top of my shorts. Instead of licking, he used long, hot open mouthed kisses to slurp it up. My eyes rolled back when he moaned against my skin.

He sat up with me, licking his own fingers. I bit my bottom lip to stop the groan of just watching him. I picked up the yogurt, dipped two fingers in. Starting at his shoulder, I left a pink trail to his neck. Flattening my tongue, I licked the whole way in one long lick.

I handed him the cup of yogurt which was just about empty. He took it, setting it down on the tray. His hands reached for the bottom of my shirt and he lifted it off of me. With a quick flick, my bra was discarded too. He picked up the cup, scraping the last of the sweet goop onto his fingers. "Lay back," he smiled, bracing himself with his clean hand.

Edward's fingers were torture, tracing around each of my nipples. I couldn't help the sound that escaped me. The yogurt was cold against my skin and my nipples were instantly at a painful point. He bent down, taking one completely in his mouth. He twirled his tongue around it, sucking hard. "Edward," I groaned. He pulled away with a soft popping sound, doing the same to the other one.

My body arched up to him. "No more," he pouted, looking at the empty cup. "What _will _I lick?" He asked, his velvet voice deadly.

"You missed some," I smiled, running my hand up into his hair. There was a small drop in the corner of his mouth. "Come here," I pulled him to me. I flicked my tongue, grabbing the last drop and his mouth crashed into mine.

We both moaned as his body aligned with mine. Our mouths were still sweet from the yogurt, our tongues twisting together. Edward cupped one of my breasts, kneading it gently. My hips rose up to meet his, grinding against him. Even with my shorts, I could feel him tenting against the loose fabric of his pajama bottoms.

He broke from my mouth, sliding down my torso. With a flick, my shorts were opened and removed. He kissed the crease of my hips on each side. He settled between my legs, wrapping an arm over my stomach, opening me up for himself. With a long slow lick, my hips rose up. "That's sweeter than anything…so fucking delicious," he murmured against my sensitive flesh.

"God, Edward," I growled through gritted teeth, gripping the covers of my bed. His mouth was genius against me. His tongue would twist and swirl against me, sucking me in. He slipped two fingers in, sucking my clit hard. He purposefully rubbed his scruffy chin against my thigh and I gasped. He moaned into me as my hips tried to grind against him, but he held me steady. When his tongue flicked over my nub in rapid succession and his fingers twisted in me, I fell apart. "Oh fuck," I cried, my body shaking.

He crawled back up my body, placing kisses randomly along the way. "Nothing could make you taste any better," he whispered against my lips before kissing me. He let more of his weight bare down on me. I opened my mouth to him, wrapping my legs around him. I could feel every inch of his arousal through his pants. His hips bucked against me, his shaft sliding between my folds. I groaned, unable to stop myself from grinding again. "Shit, you're going to make me…oh God, Bella," he groaned, resting his forehead to mine.

Our breathing was heavy as we tried to steady ourselves. "That _is_ the point, baby," I purred, sliding my hands down his back and slipping them under the waistband of his pants. Cupping his ass, I pushed the offensive clothing from his body.

His laugh was short and breathy as he kicked out of them, tossing them aside. "She's evil," he murmured, settling back over me.

I giggled softly against his cheek, nuzzling the shadow of his beard. "Is that a complaint?" I asked, groaning as his tongue met my earlobe.

"Fuck, no," he growled, teasing me at my entrance. As he slipped inside me, I gasped and his breath caught in his throat. His mouth hung open slightly. "Jesus," he whispered, shutting his eyes tight. "So fucking tight…so wet….damn, I've never…" His voice trailed off as he slowly pulled out only to slam back into me.

I became ravenous under him. "Fuck, Edward," I growled, gripping his ass and pulling him in deeper. The feel of his muscles under my fingers was insane. "Harder, baby, please." He reached down, picking both my legs up and bringing them between us. "Holy shit," I breathed, feeling every inch of him.

"Fuck, Bella, you're even tighter this way…" He moaned against the skin of my knee. "The feel of you just gets better and better."

I nodded, my mouth slightly open. I knew exactly what he meant. Our first time that summer was intense and sweet. Every time after that it was mind boggling. But, now, with our feelings so much more, with such a cemented connection, we couldn't get enough. Just when I expected it to level out, the electricity between us would ignite and pull us in for more. Each time we were together, the sex just got more and more powerful.

He swiveled his hips, hitting a spot in me that made me cry out. "Yeah?" He breathed, his face hitching up into the half smile that I loved so much. "There?" He asked, hitting it again and again. God, he was so fucking sexy and he had no idea.

"Hell, fuck…Edward," I vibrated under him, my head falling back. "So close, baby…don't stop."

He hit it again, dragging his teeth over my knee and I exploded under him. He stilled above me for just a fraction of a moment, letting me come down from my high. With my arms and legs, I urged him to roll over.

He laid back, his hands on my hips guiding my movements. I stretched over him, slipping up and down over his torso and kissed his sweaty neck with open mouthed kisses. He tasted like strawberries and salt and all Edward. I bit down on his earlobe, sucking lightly and his hands gripped my hips, pushing me down further onto him and grinding me back up.

My swollen bundle brushed against his pelvic bone, causing me to breathe his name in his ear. He twitched, growing larger inside me. I sat up, swiveling my hips. "You're close, baby, let it go," I whispered, gripping his sides.

"You too." His hand slipped between us, his thumb only having to brush once against my nerves. We came together in a crash, curses and names flying out of our mouths. "Jesus Christ," Edward breathed, pulling me down on top of his chest to kiss me fully. He rolled us to the side, still keeping us connected and wrapping his arms around me. He reached up, brushing my sweat, dampened hair away from my face. "Sometimes, I can't believe you're mine," he whispered, his eyes so full of love that it took my breath away.

"Always," I smiled, running my fingers through his hair and kissing his forehead. "I love you."

"God, do I ever love you…" He smiled my crooked smile and buried his face in my hair.

We fell asleep for a few hours, getting up to get ready for working in the bar. We showered quickly. He dressed in black jeans and a gray Seahawks t-shirt. I stilled, watching him tie his sneakers. I was trying to button my shorts. I just shook my head with a smile on my face. No wonder I had to chase women off of him. He was absolutely flawless, having no idea that he was and that just made him all the more appealing.

As we walked downstairs together, I looked up at him. "Fourth of July is coming up…are your parents sticking around?" I asked, unlocking the bar and letting us in.

"I think so, why?"

"Emmett likes to do a big cookout…someone down the beach sets off fireworks…it's always fun," I shrugged, smiling up at him. "It would be nice to make it a family thing."

As we set up the bar, I told him about holidays with my brothers. It was comfortable and easy. "Bells?" I heard from the doorway. I turned around to see Emmett standing there.

"What's up, Em?"

"The family is checking in…do you want to meet them?" He had a smile on his face that I couldn't quite pinpoint. I looked over at Edward and he just shrugged.

EPOV

Emmett brought the family of three in to meet Bella. I instantly knew why Emmett was smiling. The little girl had to be about four or five and my Bella's face lit up, her eyes softening. She really had a way with kids.

"Bella, this is Sam and Mary Stephens," he smiled. Bella smiled, shaking their hands and welcoming them in. She knelt down in front of the little girl.

"Hi," she smiled. "What's your name?"

The little girl had piercing blue eyes and light brown hair, leaning into her mother's leg and gripping the teddy bear she was holding. "Emily," she whispered, barely able to look at Bella. "This is Ted," she said, holding up the bear.

"Hello Emily…and Ted," Bella whispered back. I fell in love with her all over again and thoughts of a little girl with bronze hair and deep brown eyes flooded my brain. "I have a friend that's about your age…I could see if maybe tomorrow he could come swimming with you…what do you think?"

She looked up at her parents and back to Bella. Excitement was all over her face as she nodded. Her parents chuckled as Emmett explained that Bella was a teacher during the school year and Jake lived right down the way.

Emmett left, telling Bella that he and Rose would pop in later. He took the little family with them. I must have had a look on my face when Bella turned around, because she stopped in mid-step. "What?" She asked, her brow wrinkling.

"You're so good with them…" I smiled, shaking my head. "Do you want your own?"

She smiled, nodding. "You?"

"I'd never thought about it until just now," I admitted, feeling my face flush.

She snickered softly, walking to me. She placed a warm hand on my face. "We don't have to talk about it now, but it's good to know, Edward." I nodded, kissing her forehead. I couldn't believe the feelings that had been coursing through me since being back with her. It was scary and comforting at the same time. I knew for a fact that there was no one for me in the world but her. As of that moment, I wanted it all. I wanted her, forever.

The night went as smooth as the one before it. Soon we were really busy. Like the previous night, I took the bar and she worked the tables. We played around again, but ice cubes weren't our weapon. It was touching and words we tortured each other with.

Bella was at the bar, leaning over to hand a customer a beer as I changed a keg underneath. Her glorious legs were right in front of me and I couldn't resist a single finger stroke up her inner thigh almost to her shorts. Hearing her voice falter caused a laugh to escape me. When I stood up feigning innocence, her eyes flared with mischief. "Oh, it's on, Cullen," she smiled evilly. I loved it when she called me that, because I knew I was in for it and I loved every second of it.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, love," I whispered in her ear, licking the shell of it quickly so no one would notice. Her breath caught and I smiled, walking to the other end of the bar.

"Yeah, right," I heard her whisper to herself, taking another order from someone towards the other end of the bar. She walked to my end to grab the bottle in front of my waist, the back of her hand brushing against my groin slowly. I groaned softly, shaking my head with a smile and watching her pour the drink only to do it again as she put the bottle back.

She knelt beside my legs to get into the cabinet, her face in front of my zipper, and I muttered, "While you're down there…" Her laugh was loud, but it was her blush that made me smile.

"Keep it up, Edward," she snorted, shaking her head and walking away. I loved that this was _us_, just fun and silly. It was comfortable and nostalgic. Memories flooded me as we laughed for the next few hours.

A new couple joined a few at the bar and I heard Bella say hello. "David…Jessica, how's the room?" She asked, pouring a beer from the tap and setting it by a gentleman at the bar that couldn't keep his eyes off her.

"Fantastic," he grinned. This must have been the couple she was laughing about. She was right, he was slimy. It was then that I caught the eye of his wife. Her gaze on me went totally unnoticed by her husband. Again, Bella was correct. They had no feelings for each other whatsoever. He was openly ogling my girlfriend and she was smirking at me. _Here we go_, I thought to myself with a roll of my eyes.

"Well, good," Bella smiled, but I could tell he was making her uncomfortable. She turned from him, walking past me with a roll of her eyes. "Oh, she's seen you now," she laughed. I just chuckled.

"Looks like we have the same problem this time," I snickered at her sigh and nod.

"Just let me know, baby," she smirked, raising her perfect eyebrow at me. I nodded, knowing she would interfere if I needed her to. Bella took off out to the tables to check around.

Jessica tried to engage me in conversations many times, but I kept my answers polite and short. It got worse when her husband would step away to the restroom or the juke box. Where he would play the most provocative songs, staring at Bella the whole time. What was this couple's deal?

"So, Edward…" She started, playing with the straw of her drink with her tongue. It was an effort she was totally wasting on me. "How long have you been here?" She asked, batting her eyes up at me.

"Not long," I answered. "Almost a month and a half…I actually haven't moved here completely yet." I kept moving away from her, filling drink orders.

"You know," she smirked at me, "you don't have to worry about David. We have an open marriage. It was arranged by our parents…they merged companies and wanted a combined family as well."

"I wasn't, actually," I bit my tongue to stay kind. I was just about to tell her employees couldn't date guests when her hand covered mine. Pulling away from her grasp, I looked for Bella. David had cornered her by an empty table that she was cleaning. It was my turn to help her. "Excuse me, Jessica," I said politely.

"Hey, beautiful," I said softly, intentionally stepping into Bella's vision. Her smile was that of relief as she faced me.

"Hi, handsome, can you take this?" She asked, holding the tray that was in her hands. When I took it from her, she sighed, "Thanks. What do you need?" She looked up at me.

"So many things, baby, but the keys to the back room right this second," I smiled, watching her smirk. I reached into her pocket and rubbed the sensitive spot through her pocket just below her hipbone, causing her breath to catch. Extracting the keys, I snickered at her narrowed eyes.

"Can you watch the bar for a moment?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at her and looking over at Jessica.

"Sure," she smiled, wiping the table down. David had been forgotten. His face proved that he was well aware of it. He followed us back to the bar, sitting down beside his wife, pouting. I sat the tray on the bar and went into the back room to grab a few supplies.

Bella was ignoring the couple and leaning against the bar, chatting with an older guy I had seen in here before. I reached back into her pocket, tucking the keys back in. She snickered, looking up at me. "Thanks," I smiled, slipping my fingers in the waistband of her shorts covertly and letting my fingers glide just under the edge of her underwear. Her moan was not lost on me and I laughed, walking away.

I was convinced David and Jessica were working together. Just when I would need Bella's help, David would be in her space. She was trying so hard not to offend him. He was a guest here, but he had no idea what the term "personal space" meant. I had to admit, she was good at keeping him at bay. Better than me with the man's wife, that's for sure.

"What the hell?" Alice frowned, surveying the whole situation. She and Jasper sat down at the bar. They watched as Bella side stepped David for the hundredth time, walking behind the bar to make some drinks.

"Edward," Jessica purred, holding up her glass. "Sweetie, can I get another one?" I rolled my eyes, but heard Alice and Jasper groan. They were looking at Bella. Her brow was furrowed as she glared at the strange couple.

"Wow, Bells," Emmett snorted as he and Rose pulled up a stool. "What's the face for?" He looked up at me, chuckling when I pulled my arm away from Jessica once again. I cast a desperate look at Bella.

"Give me one minute," she smirked at me, picking up all the drinks she had made and walking them out to the table.

Rose snickered until David got up to follow her. She called me over to her and Emmett. "Has this been going on all night?" I nodded, telling them quickly about Mr. and Mrs. Simmons. Alice and Jasper listened in. Bella's brothers turned to watch her, frowning as she narrowly avoided the guy's touch.

"How come you don't…" Jasper started.

"Edward, _sweetie_," Jessica crooned. I sighed, raising my eyebrow at them before turning to her. "It's a good thing you aren't driving, Mrs. Simmons," I said sarcastically, taking her empty glass from her and making her a new drink. I fought my smile as my friends laughed behind me.

"Oh, Edward, I _told_ you to call me Jessica," she smiled, reaching for my hand.

"Hey, Eddie!" Emmett called, waving me down to him just in time.

"You need help," Rose stated, winking at me and pulling out her cell phone. She sent a quick text and turned around to watch Bella. She was wiping down a table, masterfully keeping David on the opposite side at all times. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. Reading the message, she laughed, looked up at Rose and nodded. "Em, those two need a hint…she's coming back this way…distract him so Bells can show Miss Martini down there where the fence is in this pasture." We all laughed, Alice clapping happily. I just shook my head. I am so glad that my desperate times were their entertainment.

"Yes, ma'am," he laughed. "Damn, Bella's right, she should just get a baseball bat…"

"Fuck you, Em," I snorted, throwing a rag at him. "I'm going to take a baseball bat to that guy in a minute…" I growled as David ogled Bella's ass.

I turned my attention to Bella. She was walking with David back towards us, listening to him politely. He slid onto his barstool between his wife and Emmett.

Em immediately jumped into action, asking David a thousand questions. The first was a warning. "So, Dave, I see you've met my little sister, Bella" he grinned, flexing his arms. David swallowed and nodded. Emmett kept the conversation going. The subjects ranged from sports to work to cars. Jessica's eyes were on me with every move I made.

Bella walked behind the bar, leaning near Jessica. "Edward," her voice was low and sexy. God, I lived for when she did this.

"Yes, my love?" I asked, putting some clean glasses away. "Are you ready to compare that list yet?" I teased, raising my eyebrow at her.

She bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh. "Soon, baby," she smirked. "But, I just realized I left something at your place this morning." Oh, yeah, I remember this one…we did this one at the mall food court once. There was a girl that kept lingering around our table.

I heard Alice and Jasper bite back a laugh. Emmett was still trying to keep David distracted.

I frowned, pretending to search my memory. "Hmm," I mused, "if you're talking black lace, love…um…you aren't getting them back." I smiled, shaking my head at her. Jessica's head snapped up to us. From the corner of my eye, I could see that she was looking between us desperately.

"_Please_, Edward," she pouted fabulously, "they're my _favorite._"

"Mine, too," I chuckled, "But, I might be willing to trade for another color." I crossed my arms over my chest. Jessica's face was in a complete drunken pout.

"Really?" Bella asked hopefully, stepping closer to me and right in front of David, who had stopped talking to Emmett in mid-sentence. She bit her beautiful bottom lip, her finger tracing the waistband of her shorts. I licked my lips accidentally and she saw it. She fought her smile and won. "Navy blue? Lace?" She asked, looking up at me innocently.

"You know," I sighed. "I think I would need to see them in order to make an informed decision." I nodded, my brow furrowing in stern thought.

She looked up at the clock. "As long as you'll consider it," she bit her lip again. She was killing me. "Two hours then?" She asked, smiling.

"There's nothing I would love more, baby," I smiled down at her, wanting to kiss her with all that I had. Emmett was chuckling quietly and I saw what was amusing him. David and Jessica were in a heated debate. He took a few folded bills out of his pocket and left them on the bar, getting up and guiding her out.

Our family exploded in laughter. I winked at Bella as she sighed with relief. I kissed her head. "Damn, that was the worst one ever," she snorted. "What was the fight about, Em?"

"That's not an open marriage," he wheezed, holding his sides.

"No shit?" Bella and I gasped.

"Nope…they're swingers! She was pissed that he pushed too far with Bells." He was leaning into Rose, who was laughing and shaking her head.

"Ew!" Bella and I gasped together.

"They're going to be hurting tomorrow…how much did she drink?" Emmett asked, looking up at me.

"Too much," I snorted.

"Here," Bella smiled, pulling out six beers and passing them out. "I need one after that…he's so gross!" We all toasted to her, laughing as she wrinkled her nose. "You remembered the food court, huh?" She snorted, looking up at me.

"I did," Alice giggled and I nodded, smiling.

"Me too," Jasper snorted. "Thought that girl was going to swing on Bella that day. What I'm waiting for is a replay of Senior Prom."

Bella groaned. "God, I hope not. How the hell did that happen anyway?" She looked up at me, smiling.

I shrugged. I had wanted to ask her to Prom that year. I was head over heels for her at that point, but someone had beaten me to it. "You went with Tommy Stewart," I rolled my eyes.

"Asshole," Jasper growled. "I shouldn't have let you go out with him." He pointed at her and she sighed and nodded.

"What?" Rose asked exasperatedly. "Come on, spill it!"

"Who would've thought," Alice frowned. "Tommy looked so…_innocent_, but he was so not!" Her lip curled in hatred. "He had booked a room at the hotel Prom was being held. He even slipped something in Bella's punch to get her up there."

"No!" Emmett growled. We all nodded. Emmett had been in Seattle at this point. He had missed this whole scene.

"Once Jazz and Edward found out, they went up there and beat the fucking shit out of him," Alice smiled proudly at the both of us. "Edward spent so much time with Bells, making sure that she was ok…that his date got pissed. That was…Laney…"

"Anson," I sighed. "This beer was smarter than her," I laughed, tipping it back. Rose snorted, shaking her head.

"Once Bells was a little clearer headed, she overheard the shit Laney was yelling at Edward," Jasper laughed. "Oh boy…it was on, let me tell you."

Bella looked up at me, laughing. I just kissed her head, chuckling. She looked back at her brother. "I am not here for your entertainment. I would have done the same thing for you…"

"I know, I know…" he raised his hands, still laughing. "So, she walks up to the two of them and tells Edward…_in front of Laney_…that their room was ready."

"Ha! No!" Rose beamed. "God, girl, I love you…" Bella snorted, shaking her head and drinking her beer. "What did the bitch do?"

"She slapped the shit out of me!" I chuckled. "Took all three of us to hold Bella back."

"We did end up with a room, but all four of us ended up watching TV all night," Bella smiled, ignoring Emmett's booming laugh. "Unbelievable…no, I don't want a replay of that, Jazz."

I bent down to her. "Me either, love," I whispered, kissing her ear. "Although, you did look beautiful that night, baby." She smiled, flushing.

BPOV

The next day dawned bright and sunny. I was never so grateful that Angela was handling breakfast. She did a fantastic job. I couldn't stay up all night anymore thanks to Edward. He made sure that I actually slept on Saturday nights, telling me that he had been worried with what he saw the first few weeks he was there.

We eventually got up, showered and dressed, joining the family for breakfast. I wanted Edward and Alice to spend as much time with Carlisle and Esme as they could. I didn't know how long they would be staying, but time was precious. I reminded them of that over and over. They stopped arguing with me.

"There they are," Esme beamed as we sat down with them on the deck. "How was the bar last night?" She asked, her brow furrowing as we all just laughed. Emmett explained the Simmons couple and she laughed, shaking her head. "Sorry I missed that."

"No, you aren't," Edward and I sighed together, which only made her laugh harder.

"I really want to see that again," Carlisle chuckled.

"Oh! Bells, let's talk Fourth of July," Emmett beamed. "Are we grillin'? It's next week."

"Are you staying?" I asked, looking at Esme and Carlisle.

"We'll be here a few more weeks," Carlisle sighed, rolling his eyes at his wife. Alice and Edward smiled, knowing Esme got whatever she wanted when it came to her husband.

"Good," I smiled, "then, yes. The creepy couple will be gone…" I started, pausing to let them laugh. "But, that sweet family will still be here. There's not anyone else due in…I had a few cancellations, I think." I got up, grabbing my laptop from the check in desk and brought it back to the table. "Yeah, that's right."

"Sweet!" Emmett and Jasper smiled, sharing a fist bump.

"Make sure you tell Angela and Seth. I think she has a new guy, so tell her to bring him," I said, closing my laptop.

"What?" Emmett smiled. "Shy, quiet Angela has a boyfriend?"

"Yes," I shook my head at him. "It happens, Em, so just tell her."

"Hmm," Jasper frowned.

"You can't protect every girl in your life, boys," Esme laughed. "Never seen anything like it…I treated more black eyes…" We all laughed, shaking our heads.

The little family came downstairs and Alice, Rose and I awed at the little girl. She was in the sweetest little pink bathing suit, her hair in a bouncing ponytail. While she and her parents ate breakfast, Edward and I went to pick up Jake.

Billy was actually grateful to get Jake out of the house for the day. He was heading over to his sister's house to watch baseball and had been worried that Jake would be bored all day. "If it gets late," I told him, "Jake can just stay and we'll bring him back in the morning." Jake lost his mind at that statement, so we just decided to let him stay over anyway.

"Mr. Edward," Jake babbled from the backseat of my truck. "Will you build another castle with me?" I laughed, looking over at him.

"Yes, Jake," he smiled. Edward exuded more patience with Jake than I expected and I loved him all the more for it.

When we got back to the inn and out onto the beach, I introduced him to Emily. He was shy at first, but got over it quickly. About an hour into the day, they fought, Jake throwing a clump of sand at her. "Jacob Black, come here," I frowned, walking away with him. "Why would you do that? That's not nice." I walked him down the pier, taking him away from people.

"She's not staying," he pouted, folding his arms across his chest. "She's going back to M-mish…"

"Michigan," I helped him. "And how does that explain your actions?"

"I can't be friends with her if she's leaving." The light went off in my head. Jake and I had more in common than I thought. His sweet face was in an ugly scowl and he wouldn't look at me when I sat down and pulled him onto my lap.

"I told you she was on vacation, Jake. I'm sorry. Look, you can write letters or email," I explained, knowing I didn't sound convincing.

"It's not the same," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears. "I can't _see_ her. She's pretty."

I smiled, wiping away his tears. "She is that, Jake. But, there are times when we can't always keep people in our lives…face to face. Sometimes, we have to let them go…they come back if it's supposed to be. Now, you have to be nice to her. You can't throw things at her."

"I know," he sighed, cupping my face. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"No, you need to say you're sorry to Emily, mister," I smiled.

"Aw, Miss Bella," he whined, his hands falling to his lap.

"Go," I said, raising my eyebrow at him and setting him on his feet. I got up to see Edward standing there. Jake stopped in front of him to say something. "No, Jake, straight to Emily and say you're sorry."

"Fine!" He frowned, stomping off. I watched him as he walked up to her. She smiled up at him and handed him a shovel.

I shook my head, leaning against the rail and feeling Edward's arms around me. "What was that all about?" He asked, kissing my shoulder.

I turned in his arms. "Someone has a crush," I smiled. "What is it with boys at that age? You pull girls' hair and throw things at them…" I snorted.

"We have to get your attention somehow," he laughed, tugging on the end of my ponytail. "We know that you all think boys smell…cooties and all that. At that age, girls were still a mystery."

I laughed, shaking my head. "And now?"

"We still don't know what the hell we're doing," he chuckled, his hands rubbing my sides. His thumbs brushed just under my bikini top.

"Oh, yes you do," I groaned, biting my lip as he covertly rubbed his thumbs over my nipples over my bathing suit top. "You know exactly what you're doing," I breathed. I was never so grateful that his parents were out for the day. They were visiting the museum and aquarium in Tampa.

I looked around to see we were alone at the end of the pier. I gripped the waist of his board shorts, pulling him closer. "Edward," I groaned. His fingers pinched my nipples lightly through the fabric of my bikini. He leaned down to kiss me, his tongue assaulting mine as his hand carefully cupped my breast. He squeezed softly, moaning into my mouth.

"Maybe we should get in the water," he whispered against my lips, thrusting his arousal against me. "I have a…_problem_, love."

"That's your own fault," I giggled, burying my face in his neck.

"Miss Bella, Miss Bella," Jake yelled, running up the pier. "I said I was sorry, can Mr. Edward come build a sand castle now?" He asked, looking up at him. Emily was watching us, her eyes sparkling blue in the sunshine. I laughed, hearing Edward's low groan, his head on my shoulder as he composed himself. It took a minute with my laughing for Edward to finally back away.

"Yeah, buddy," he sighed, but smiled. "Come on." He scooped up Jake and tossed him up on his shoulders.

I reached out for Emily's hand. She looked at Edward and Jake and then back up to me. "Is he a movie star?" She asked, tugging on my hand.

"You should ask him, sweetie," I giggled. Even five year olds crush on my man.

"Ok," she smiled, letting go of my hand and running up to him. He had just plopped Jake down next to Emmett and they were starting a new castle. She tugged on Edward's shorts to get his attention. "Mr. Edward," she blushed crimson. He knelt down to her level and she blushed all the more. "Are you in the movies?" She asked sweetly as I sat down between Alice and Rose. We giggled as he looked at her for a moment not sure where the question came from.

"Oh my God, that's cute," Rose whispered.

"No, ma'am," he chuckled, "I'm not."

"Oh, 'cause my mommy said you looked like a guy she saw in a movie once," she giggled, covering her mouth and running off to join Jake and my brother.

"Emily!" Her mom gasped in embarrassment.

The girls and I were falling over each other laughing. He stood up, raising his eyebrow at me, but turned towards Jake when he called him again.

The boys were just big kids all day, building sand castles, throwing the football, and skim boarding. Emily's parents eventually took her in, getting ready to go out to eat. Jake was exhausted by the time I tossed him in the tub for a bath. He ate quietly, but had to have us both on the couch, watching a movie, before he zonked out as I ran my fingers through his hair.

I caught Edward's stare over the back of the couch. "What, baby?" I whispered, smiling up at him. I removed my hand from Jake's hair to cup Edward's face.

His eyes darted to Jake, seeing he was asleep, he picked him up and tucked him in. He reached out for my hand, helping me up off the couch. We got in bed under the covers and he pulled me to him, my back to his chest.

"Jake told me what you said," he whispered, kissing my shoulder. "About if it's supposed to be, they come back to you." This time he kissed the back of my head. I entwined our fingers, holding them to my chest. "Did you mean it?" I just nodded and held our two right hands up to him. I just looked at him and back to our hands, showing him the matching life lines. For a moment, I wondered if he had been too drunk to remember telling me about the palm reading book.

He paused for a moment, tracing a finger down my palm. "Did I tell you about that?" He whispered, his face slightly embarrassed in the light of the TV that was still on.

"Yes," I nodded, smiling up at him.

All of a sudden, his words tumbled out of him. "I want to give you everything, Bella, everything. I don't ever want to be apart again and I always want to be with you. I want the house, the kids and the whole fucking picture…please tell me you want that…" His voice started to get a little louder. "I'm not talking immediately, just…you know, for the future…I want to know when it's time…you'll still say you'll want it…"

"Shh," I smiled, reminding him Jake was asleep. "Yes, all of it." He kissed my palm and then my lips, trying to convey everything in one kiss. There was a desperation in him that I felt come through. "Hey," I whispered against his lips, pulling is face up to look at me. "I learned my lesson…I'm not going anywhere…I'm selfishly in love with you."

"I love you so much, you just don't know…" His face was so beautiful as he tried to calm down, but I could tell that if Jake wasn't in the room, he would be ravishing me. I could feel his hands twitch, trying to hold back.

"It's ok," I whispered, cupping his face. "What brought this on?"

"Nothing, just…talking last night about Prom…I wanted to ask you and I didn't…and so much time wasted…and today with Jake and Emily…and I just don't want to lose any more time with you…I need you," he sighed, kissing my palm again.

"I'm yours, baby," I sighed, looking into his eyes. "No more running, no more pushing. I promise. Please tell me you believe me." He nodded, kissing my nose. "Good," I smiled, kissing his back.

We whispered late into the night about what we both wanted in the future. We agreed that marriage was something we both wanted, but not quite yet. He wanted kids, but only with me and was terrified of the whole idea of being responsible for another human being. He begged me to come with him to Chicago to help pack. I didn't have an answer for that, but told him that it would depend on when he went. He wanted us to move him together, making it a joint decision.

We kissed for a long time, not letting it go anywhere, just sealing the talk we had together. Eventually, I fell asleep with my head on his chest, feeling a little closer to him and happy with the steps we were making.

* * *

**A/N…Ok…I need reviews…please!!!! I feed off of them.**

**HUGE thanks to Brits23 for her quick beta-ness! LOL Love ya!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N…Ok, so a little bit more fluff…and Fourth of July…**

**Have a good weekend and I will be posting again Monday…maybe Sunday…it depends on how my work schedule pans out.**

* * *

CHAPTER 11

BPOV

I sat out on the deck, my laptop open. I was entering the profits and making a list for the next supply run. Thunder rolled around me. It was so deep that I could feel it in my chest.

I stared out, watching the rain move in over the ocean. The late afternoon thunderstorms that occurred almost every day in the summer were the hardest thing to get used to when I moved here. In Forks, it rained every day, but it was a misty, cold rain. In Florida, it was an hour or two of lightning, thunder and solid downpour. The minute it would stop, the sun would come out brighter than ever, making the day just plain steamy. Welcome to a tropical climate. The first year I lived here, I learned the joke: "If you don't like the weather in Florida, wait five minutes. It will change." It's so true.

"Here, love," Edward sat down beside me, handing me his list of supplies he needed for the bar. He and Seth had been working on it for me.

"Thanks." I leaned into his kiss to my temple. I checked over the page, ordering some things from my service and adding the rest to be picked up later that day.

"Here's Angela's list, Bells," Alice sighed, plopping down beside me. Cleaning supplies went on the list of things for later.

"Bells, I'm starving," Jasper whined, handing me the last list.

"Hanging around the food was too much for you, Jazz?" I teased, looking over the list. Jasper nodded, chuckling with the rest of us. "Damn, this is going to be a really big supply run."

"Are we going today?" Edward asked, taking the list from me.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Jazz, go tell Seth to keep an eye open around here."

"What about Em?" He asked, standing.

"He's with Rose…you can't pay me enough to knock on _that_ door," I wrinkled my nose.

"Is that what I heard in the hallway?" Alice asked, shuddering.

"Oh, I'm sure…just ew…" I shook my head, my eyes closed at the thought. Edward laughed, joined by Jasper.

"Hey, Bells, let's go see Miguel and Maria!" His face lit up with the idea of it.

"Mmm, black beans and rice?" I smiled up at him.

"Plantains!" He beamed. "Sweet! I'll go tell Seth." He ran off towards the bar.

I looked at Edward and Alice. "Oh, are they ever going to love you two," I snickered. "Wait until you meet them…Jasper has unofficially adopted them as our grandparents." I closed the laptop, grabbing the lists we would need for later.

Edward and I followed Jasper and Alice over to the little shack not far from my inn. "It doesn't look like much, guys," Jasper smiled, "but it's the best damn food ever."

Jasper and I were assaulted as soon as we were in the door. It was late afternoon, so the place was pretty empty.

"Jasper! Isabella!" Maria squealed, waddling over to us. She was the sweetest little old Hispanic lady. She was as short as Alice, and was as round as she was tall. Her heart was as big as her whole body. And no one could cook like she could.

She grabbed us both in one armed hugs as we planted kisses on her cheeks. "Momma Maria," Jasper smiled. "Where's Miguel?"

"Right here," he said, coming from the kitchen. "Look at you two! Where's the giant with the bottomless stomach?" He asked, talking about Emmett. Miguel was a short Hispanic man with a huge smile and graying hair.

I laughed, shaking my head. "He's at home…"

"Isabella," Maria grabbed my face with both of her chubby hands. "He was in here the other day…said something about your momma…I'm sorry, mi amore." She wrapped me up in a breath stopping hug, swaying me back and forth. "Who have you brought?" She asked, looking over the Cullen twins.

"Oh, Momma," Jasper smiled, "this is my _fiancée_, Alice and her brother, Edward." They both waved at her.

She let go of me, walking up to the two of them. She was eye to eye with Alice and had to crane her neck to see Edward. "Fiancée?" She asked Alice in a squeal and looked over at Jasper who was nodding and chuckling. "You finally asked her, did you?" She smirked over at my brother, who was red.

"Maria!" Miguel warned. "Leave him alone…it's not easy asking that question. Feed them all before they pass out from starvation. Isabella's too thin and so is the new little one…go!"

Before she left she looked at my hand in Edward's and up to his face. "Edward, huh?" She muttered something in Spanish, but I knew the gist of it.

"Maria!" Miguel boomed, frowning.

"What? He is!" She smiled, showing us to the first table.

I laughed. "She said you're beautiful." I looked up at him to see his blush.

"They're adorable," Alice snickered.

"How'd you meet them?" Edward smiled, looking between me and Jasper.

"Emmett did. He found this place one day when he was starving," Jasper chuckled. "When he brought Bells in here…it was all over…they wanted to steal her away. Just watch…"

"Shut it, Jazz," I shook my head. "It's going to be bad enough. Brace yourself, baby."

"Why?" He laughed, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Isabella, does this handsome thing belong to you?" Maria asked, setting plates in front of us. I looked over at Edward with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, Maria…"

"Oh look, Momma, she's in love," Miguel beamed, folding his arms across his chest.

Edward's chuckle did not go unnoticed by me. Jasper and Alice were beside themselves. I, of course, was beet red. I sighed, shaking my head.

"So is he!" She scoffed, turning to look at her husband. "And Jasper here can't see past this tiny thing!"

"Yes, yes, love all around," Miguel laughed, "let them eat Momma! Isabella has no blood left, it's all in her face." I closed my eyes and sighed, smiling at the two of them.

Maria set a few large bowls down in front of us. "Hmm, fine," she looked at me from the corner of her eye. "Good lovin' beats food any day, huh, Isabella?" She asked, spooning rice and beans onto our plates like we were unable to do it ourselves. I slapped my forehead.

"Maria!" Miguel laughed. "Ignore her Isabella, she's just happy you have color back in your face."

"More than I need, I'm sure," I muttered, hearing my family and Edward laugh.

The food was fantastic as always. Plantains had become an obsession with Jasper and me. There was nothing like them anywhere. Maria had to bring two plates out before we got our fill.

"It was nice meeting you," Edward smiled and Alice nodded.

He held out his hand to shake it, but Maria wouldn't have it. She wrapped them both up in hugs. "Any love of these two…that makes you family. You take care of them! And tell the giant to come soon, he keeps my leftovers down."

"Yes, ma'am," they both said, smiling.

Miguel walked up to Edward. "Her father's not around, so I'll say it…you take care of our Isabella." He tried to look stern, but failed. He was too nice of a little man to have pulled it off. He looked to me and kissed my forehead, muttering something in Spanish.

"I will, Miguel," he smiled, squeezing my hand.

"It's ok, Miguel," I said, hugging him.

As we got into the truck to begin our supply run, Edward looked over at me. "Did you understand what he said at the end?"

I nodded and sighed. "He said I'd been through too much." I didn't speak Spanish, but the longer I lived in Florida, the more I had picked up. It was easy for me to start to figure out the meanings of frequently heard comments. Miguel had said that before to Maria once and I asked her to translate it for me.

"Oh," he smiled, touching my face. "Does everyone love you?" He smiled, his brow furrowed.

I snickered, looking over at him. "I don't have an answer for that, baby," I shrugged.

"I don't need one, love," he smiled, picking up my hand and kissing it.

We arrived at the enormous warehouse store, piling out of both trucks. "Divide and conquer?" Jasper asked, his eyebrow raised. "Otherwise, this will take forever at the look of those lists." He pointed to the pages in my hand. "Ed and I can get the heavy shit and you two can get the easy stuff." Edward nodded, taking a page from me.

"Yeah, that works," I smiled. "Come on, Ali."

Alice and I each grabbed a cart and headed off in the opposite direction as the boys. "Do you think they can stay out of trouble without us?" Alice smirked, watching them walk away.

"Probably not," I snorted.

This type of shopping wasn't what Alice liked to do, but she was a huge help. We decided the menu for the Fourth of July and a few meals I cooked here and there. We completed Angela's cleaning supplies list and most of the bar's list. There were only a few things left.

"Are you coming back to Chicago with us to help us move?" Alice asked as we made our way down the beauty products aisle. "We've decided to do it together…share the truck and expense…Jasper's going."

"I don't know…it depends on when you go," I sighed. I tossed in an industrial sized body wash and more shampoo and conditioner.

She stopped and eyed me. "I know you…if you wanted to go, you would make it happen…what's the deal?" She asked, her face full of worry.

I looked at her and bit my bottom lip. "I don't know if I can…deal with it…seeing him pack up a life that he might not have had if I had been honest." I looked at her, begging her with my eyes to help. "I know it's stupid, but…"

"It's not about that, you know," she smiled, crossing things off my list. "He wants to prove to you that this is what he wants. He wants to show you that he'd do anything for you."

"I know, that's what he said," I smiled.

"Please, Bells?" She begged, smiling and knowing I couldn't tell her no.

"He put you up to this, didn't he?" I smirked, shaking my head.

"I will never tell," she giggled. "Please? Please go…I want you to go." She started hopping up and down in front of me with her hands together, begging.

"Oh, for Christ's sake," I snorted. "Fine! Fine, I'll go." She did the most adorable happy dance in the middle of the tampon aisle. "But, you have to do it before school starts or I can't…for real." She nodded emphatically. "And I'll tell him…" I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Ok, ok," she smiled as we came out the aisle. "Damn, would you look at that?" She snorted. "We can't take them anywhere…"

I looked in the direction she was staring. Edward and Jasper were playing video games at the Xbox display with two girls shadowing them. "You know," I snorted looking at her. "It's been that way my whole life with him…get used to it." The boys were laughing with each other, ignoring the girls altogether. I told Alice to be still for a moment. I wanted to see what the girls would do.

When the game was over, the boys gave a fist bump to each other still smiling. "How old are they?" Alice snorted. I just shrugged, laughing quietly.

"The girls or Edward and Jasper?" I laughed. "Because sometimes, I wonder…" She giggled and nodded.

"Emmett's worse," she exploded.

"Hmm, true." I bent over to grab something off the shelf and heard a sneering voice behind me.

"Yeah, I always liked you in that position," James snickered. I stood up, turning around in the direction of his voice.

"Oh, James," I snorted, "I forgot you worked here…in fact, I forgot a lot of things about you…but, then again there's not much worth remembering…" I smiled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Go away…"

"You are such a bitch, you know that?" He growled, looking me over. I just shrugged at him.

"You know, I don't get you…you cheat on me…and yet, _you _are mad at _me_…how fucking backwards is that?" I laughed, shaking my head. He never knew I cheated on him, but he was such an asshole, it was too fun not to mess with him. "Your face healed nicely," I pointed to him.

"Shut up!" He said, his voice starting to rise. He stepped closer, but looked behind me, his eyes going wide. I didn't have to look. I knew Edward and Jasper were walking up behind me.

"James," I smiled. "You are at work…if you pick this fight now, it will be a huge mistake. Let it all go." I looked at him, waiting for his reply.

I saw his fist clench and his eyes dart from me to behind me. "You threw my shit away…" he growled.

"Alright…so what was it that was so important…I'll get you another one. I honestly don't remember…"

"That's not the point," he snarled, raising his fist.

"And what _is _the point, because I don't care…I've moved on…and we all know you have too…" I felt Edward's chest press to my back, his hands on my shoulders. "Go back to work, James…" I sighed, leaning slightly into Edward.

James saw the movement and his eyes flashed. "This guy?" He yelled, drawing a few looks from people around us. Jasper stepped forward, his fists twitching. I felt Edward shift behind me. "Pretty boy?" He laughed.

"Nice hair, Barbie. How's your face?" Edward sneered and Jasper laughed. James took a step forward and so did Jasper.

"Ok!" I snapped. "That's it! We aren't doing this here," I said through gritted teeth. "Yes, I've moved on…yes, it's with Edward. James, go away or I _will _get you fired. I shit you not!" I glared at him. Of all the issues that I had with James, he knew I wouldn't kid him about this. I looked around, spotting a manager type person. "Shall I?" I pointed over and took a step. "I'm sure that your child support will get far behind…"

"Fine," he grunted, looking around at all of us. "You," he pointed to Edward, "good luck…she's a raging bitch. She'll use you and throw you away."

"Only you, James," I sneered.

"I'll take my chances," Edward growled, his hands twitching on my shoulders.

"Bye, James," Jasper said in a singsong voice, waving to him. His smile was evil.

James walked away, heading through the employee side doors. I sighed, shaking my head. "Unbelievable," I groaned, turning to look at my boys. "Are you two ok…" I started, but they were laughing.

"Barbie?" Jasper snorted, looking at Edward.

"I don't know…it's that blonde hair," he shrugged, laughing.

I looked over at Alice and she was looking at them the same way I was. "How old are they?" She asked again, looking back at me. I just scoffed, shaking my head.

"Sorry, love," Edward smiled. "I couldn't help it." He cupped my face. "Are _you_ ok?" He asked, his face serious.

"Yeah," I smirked at him. "Did you guys get everything?" I asked, wanting to get out of there soon.

"Yes, ma'am," Edward nodded. Jasper nodded too, saluting me. They were such children, but I loved them madly.

It was in the truck on the way back when his questions started. "He has a kid?" He asked, looking over at me.

"Yes," I sighed, "he got a girl pregnant in high school."

"Bella, what were you thinking?" He asked, frowning.

"Don't, please." I begged him. "Remember what you said? About Lauren…they couldn't have brown hair or brown eyes?" I asked, trying not to get upset. I saw him nod slowly. "Well, same concept…they couldn't be sweet or fun…or gentlemanly…at all. Ok?" I snapped a little. "He was the opposite of you…period. Huge mistake, I know…I'm well aware."

"Oh, baby," he picked up my hand. "Please don't get upset. I was just curious. I understand, really." I parked the truck in front of the door of the inn and looked over at him. I looked in his eyes and there was a gleam of happiness there.

"Why did you enjoy that so much?" I asked, my brow furrowed, but I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face.

He kissed my hand, chuckling. "You told him you had moved on…I said the same thing to Lauren when she was here…" He shrugged, kissing my hand again. "Plus, he was scared shitless…not from me and Jasper, but from you!" He smirked so damn sexily that I couldn't breathe for a second.

I couldn't help the giggle that burst forth from me. "Hmm," I mused, "you liked that, did you?" He nodded vigorously, smiling. "What am I going to do with you?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Now?" He beamed, licking his lips and I suppressed a groan. "So many things come to mind, I can't even focus." He shook his head, laughing.

"You have to focus, we have work to do…" I raised my eyebrow and opened my truck door.

"Damn," he growled, but his smile was too adorable.

****

The Fourth of July came around quickly. I was expecting a larger crowd this year. The little family from Michigan was still with us, but the strange couple had checked out.

I always invited Billy and his family and they were joining us as well. Seth was going to help my brothers with the bar and the grill, but Angela was bringing her new boyfriend. Esme and Carlisle said they wouldn't miss it for the world and still wouldn't say when they were heading home.

It was going to be an all day affair, ending when the fireworks were over later that night. Edward and Emmett moved the jukebox from the bar to the outside deck, set up a beach volleyball net, and the grill.

Angela's boyfriend was as sweet as he could be. Ben looked at her like she was the only thing around him. He was just as shy as she was, so they kept mainly to themselves. I warned my brothers to leave him alone.

Rose, Alice and I took off to the closest fireworks store to get a few things for the kids. Sparklers were Jake's favorite. I couldn't resist getting them for him.

By the time we got back, the boys had everything set up and Jake and Emily were splashing in the surf. "Miss Bella!" He beamed, running into my arms. I scooped him up, planting kisses on his neck. He grabbed my face. "Did you get them?" He whispered, smiling.

"Get what?" I feigned ignorance.

"Miss Bellaaaaa," he whined, turning around when he heard the snickers around him. "You know," he whispered again, "the sparklers!"

"Oh!" I smiled. "Should I have?"

"Yes!" He yelled. Edward walked by at that moment. "Mr. Edward, did she get them?"

"Get what?" He asked, laughing at the frustrated "Humph" that came from Jake. "Oh! You mean these?" Edward laughed, holding up three boxes. I laughed as Jake squirmed down from me, chasing after Edward.

Emily was smiling shyly up at me. I knelt down. "Don't worry," I whispered. "I have a box for you too." She beamed up at me and ran off to find Jake.

"God, Bella," Esme smiled, wrapping an arm around me. "You're so good with them."

"Jake's easy," I smiled. "I couldn't love him more if he were my own." We walked down the beach, Esme stopping to gather up shells.

"I've never seen Edward with kids either…he's really good," she laughed as we watched Jake tackle him while playing football. "I wanted to ask how you're doing…about your mom."

"Better," I smiled. "It's days like this I miss Charlie the most, though." I sighed looking over at her. "Jasper and Emmett too…it's why I do this. Charlie loved cookouts and fireworks."

"I also want to thank you…" She smiled wistfully up at me.

"For what, Esme?"

"For Edward," she looked over at her son as he caught the football from Jasper. "And you," she looked back at me. "Seeing you two together again…happy…"

"Oh," I smiled, but I felt tears sting my eyes. I watched Edward for a few more minutes and looked back at her.

"You two have something…I've never seen anything like it. It started when you first met. You were overly protective of each other and that doesn't even touch your brothers and Alice. Everything we did, Edward's first concern was you." She smiled over at me. We walked down the pier, sitting down on a bench. "I tried to tell him that he loved you, but he was a typical boy…" She laughed. "'No, Mom', he would say. 'She's my best friend'…That is until that last year." She snorted, shaking her head. "I thought the room would burst into flames when you two were together…and that was before the summer, Bells." She laughed and I joined her. She leaned into me.

"Yeah," I laughed, "I look back and see it. I didn't then…or at least I didn't want to. I had grown so used to what we had."

"Didn't want to ruin a good thing?" She smirked at me. I snorted and nodded. "So, Carlisle has an interview with a hospital in Sarasota." She looked at me out of the corner of her eye.

"No!" I gasped, my mouth hanging open. "You're kidding me, right?" She shook her head no, giggling. "You are serious! Do Edward and Alice know?" I asked, looking over at her.

"Not yet," she smiled. She looked past me and Edward was coming down the pier.

"We are so busted!" I giggled quietly to her.

"Your ears must have been burning." She smiled innocently up at her son.

"They usually do when you two are together," he smirked, kissing both of us. "How much trouble am I in now?" He snickered, squeezing between us and wrapping his arm around me.

"Enormous amounts," Esme laughed and he rolled his eyes. "I was just telling Bella here about the interview your father has in Sarasota."

"Really?" He looked between us, his face excited.

"Well, since Bella's stole both my children, I thought we'd better follow," she teased winking at me. I just laughed and watched as his face lit up.

I forgot that he was waiting on a decision from me as well. "Well," I sighed. "That's just one more I'll have to help move when we go to Chicago…" I bit my lip, fighting my smile.

"You're going?" His head snapped around to look at me.

"Yeah," I smiled, feeling his hand twitch at my waist. "I was convinced in the middle of a store by this little pixie…I can't imagine why she would do that…someone must have put her up to it." I rolled my eyes dramatically.

"No," Esme laughed, standing up. "That could never happen. Those two?"

He chuckled adorably, his ears turning slightly pink. "Ok, so…yeah…maybe I might have mentioned it."

"Edward, she jumped up and down in the middle of a feminine product aisle in order to get me to cave," I raised an eyebrow at him.

"On that note," Esme giggled, kissing both our foreheads. "I'm out of here." We both laughed as she walked back to the inn.

"You're really going?" He asked softly, pulling me on his lap. He was so happy, so beautiful at that moment I didn't say anything, but I nodded. His hair was everywhere and the sun had kissed his nose and cheekbones. My favorite crooked smile curled up on his mouth. He smelled like the grill and salt and suntan lotion.

"But," I breathed, "I can't go if you wait too long. Once school starts…"

"Ok!" He smiled sweetly. "Before the summer's over…got it. I'll get with Alice and we'll plan it all out…we're sharing the truck." I nodded, smiling at his happy face.

"I think we better get the house in Tampa ready too, huh?" I tilted my head at him.

"I don't care…as long as I'm with you," he put his forehead to mine.

"Aw, see…you can't say things that sweet and not expect a reaction," I teased, giggling as he tickled my sides. I kissed him lightly, sighing with the contact and sliding my hand up to his hair. He gripped my hips, his hands slipping down to my bottom and pulling me flush to his chest. I turned my head and his tongue raked across my lips. I opened my mouth to him, his moan causing a stir deep within me. He suckled my tongue, swirling around it. I gripped his hair, grinding against him. He broke from my mouth, kissing down my neck. His mouth was open against my skin, his tongue flicking out to taste me. "Edward," I groaned, pushing against his shoulders.

"I know," he smiled, licking his lips and looking up at me. The gleam in his eye was wicked, but happy. My stomach growled, interrupting us and making us laugh. "Come on, love…Emmett's starting the steaks…you know, that's originally what I came out here for."

I laughed, standing and taking his hand. "Easily distracted, aren't you?"

"By you?" He laughed, "God, yes."

"We should talk about the living arrangements, baby," I smiled, looking up at him as we walked back. "I live in Tampa…to teach…I come here on the weekends and holidays…will that be ok with you? Seriously?"

"Yes, ma'am," he smiled down at me. "Maybe when I have _my _interview next week, we can look around the house and see what will go where…" His voice trailed off as he looked at me.

"You have an interview too?" I squealed, sounding like Alice. He chuckled, catching me when I flew at him. "In Tampa?" He nodded again, kissing my nose and smiling. "Good for you, baby," I beamed.

As the sun set, the food and drinks flowed. The boys played volley ball against the girls. No one knew that Esme had a wicked spike. Emmett put Jake on his shoulders to try and get an advantage, but I put Emily on mine and she got the best of them. She was the hero of the game. She was bright pink as we all hugged and praised her. When Edward gave her a high five, she turned crimson.

Jasper and Alice lit the sparklers with the kids. Emmett, of course, wrote obscenities in the air with them, getting a smack from Rose.

When it came time for the fireworks, Billy's family left. Billy wanted to watch them from home. I had blankets out for everyone to sit on the beach, so I grabbed one and a couple of beers.

The jukebox had been popular all day. Seth had kept it light and happy. We all went over and changed the songs throughout the day. But, I could tell that the boys had made their own choices as we all separated on the beach.

Edward helped me spread the blanket out in a secluded spot, sitting down behind me with his legs along mine and my back to his chest. "Do you remember our last Fourth of July?" He whispered in my ear.

"Yes," I smiled, "I'm so shocked we weren't busted." I felt his chuckle behind me. We had spent that holiday together, wrapped in a blanket on the beach in La Push. Charlie was there, but we had hid ourselves away in order to see the fireworks. I was pretty sure he had suspected, but never said a word. We couldn't keep our hands off of each other then.

"Yeah," he snickered, "I was pretty sure Charlie would kill me." I laughed, leaning back into him. His arms wrapped around me, his hands on the skin of my stomach.

The night was warm, muggy. I was still wearing my green bikini and a sarong wrap. Edward was still in just his navy blue board shorts. I felt a tug on the knot of my wrap just as a song started to play. "Edward, you didn't," I groaned, feeling a tremble go through me. He had remembered the song that was playing when we were in La Push six years ago.

"Mmhm," he smiled against my shoulder, his hands traveling. He whispered some of the words of _"Your Body is a Wonderland"_ by John Mayer in my ear. _"You want love? We'll make it. Swim in a deep sea of blankets. Take all your big plans and break 'em. This is bound to be awhile." _His hands cupped my breasts, causing me to arch up against him. His mouth captured my earlobe.

"_Your body is a wonderland. Your body is a wonder, baby, I'll use my hands…"_

"Edward," I groaned as his hand snaked between my legs, my sarong now open. "Baby," I whispered, my hips meeting the rhythm of his hand just rubbing the outside of my bathing suit bottoms. He pulled one of my breasts out of my top, lightly rubbing his palm over my nipple and raising it to a painful throb.

"_Damn, baby, you frustrate me. I know you're mine, all mine, all mine. But, you look so good it hurts sometimes."_

He slipped his hand under the material, gliding through my wetness. My hand gripped his thigh, my fingers gliding around to reach behind me. I palmed his erection that had been pressed into me. A moan escaped him as I flicked open his shorts, taking him into my hand. "Turn to the side, baby," he crooned, turning me so my shoulder was against his chest.

I was able to grip him hard as he swiftly slipped his hand back into my bikini. He bent down, taking my exposed breast into his mouth, swirling his tongue and nibbling with his teeth. He slipped two fingers into me, his thumb making tight circles around my sensitive bundle. "Edward," I whispered, gripping him harder and guiding my hand up and down.

"God, baby, don't stop doing that," he groaned, finally meeting my mouth. We shared breaths, our tongues tasting and twisting, our lips barely meeting.

I gasped as his fingers curled, hitting me perfectly inside. "Fuck, baby," I cried softly. I twisted my wrist in response, causing his breath to catch, his mouth to hang open. "I love the feel of you," I breathed into his mouth.

"I wish I was inside you," he groaned, his tongue licking my bottom lip. I twitched around his fingers. "Your hand on me…shit," he growled.

"On your what?" I smiled against his mouth, squeezing him harder and using my nails lightly. "Say it, Edward," I gasped as his thumb pressed my clit a little harder.

"My…shit, Bella…my cock," he groaned, his head falling to my shoulder, his breathing heavy.

Just hearing him say it, I came hard around his fingers. He never said it, never used words like pussy or cock. He thought them to be crude. He had been that way as long as I knew him and I knew I would hear about it later. "Fuck," I growled, my breath catching, my hand pumping him harder.

"Bella," he gasped, his hips jerking against my hand. He came hard in my hand, using the blanket to clean up. He buttoned his shorts back up and snorted. "You're so wrong," he smirked at me. I couldn't help the laugh that took me over. He wrapped me up, burying his face in my neck, laughing.

"I had to," I laughed, squirming under him. "It was a beautiful opportunity." The fireworks started and we laughed and joked the whole time through.

EPOV

The fireworks were fantastic, lighting up the sky with every color imaginable. The explosions made me jump and wrap my arms tighter around Bella

It had been an amazing day. Not only were my parents considering joining us in Florida, but my girl finally agreed to come with me to Chicago to help us move. It wasn't that I needed her help, per se, but I wanted to show her that this was not me moving to her. It was something we were doing together. I knew that as much as she loved me, this was a little intimidating for her.

My dad was the one that explained it to me the best. "Bella has taken care of everyone _her whole life_, son," he said one night when we were sitting in the bar just the two of us. "She was the only girl in a house full of men, first of all…cooking, cleaning, caring for them. You and Alice come along and she carried that over to you. She never expected a thank you…and probably never got one, but what she did get was a ration of shit from her own mother. Can you imagine what her self-worth must be?" He sneered in anger at the way Renee had treated Bella.

I didn't have an answer for him. I had never looked at it that way.

"And then…she's getting back something she thought she lost forever, she must be feeling a little unbalanced…like it couldn't be real." He raised his eyebrow at me and I smiled, nodding slowly. He slapped my back, "But, you'll figure it out…you're so good for each other…" He got lost in thought for a moment and we didn't say anything for a few minutes. Finally, he looked up at me, smiling. "You were so serious before…" I chuckled, knowing he was right.

As we made our way back to join everyone on the deck, I realized that his last statement was so true. I looked down at Bella, who was still snickering. "You're quite proud of yourself, aren't you?" I asked, smirking down at her.

"Sorry," she snorted, looking up at me. "But, God it was hot," she groaned. "How much trouble am I in?" She bit her glorious bottom lip.

"Tons," I sighed dramatically. "Seriously. Bet you can't get it to happen again…and I bet it would sound hotter coming from your mouth." I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Oh ho!" She laughed. "Oh, you're so on, Cullen. I never understood why you could say fuck but not cock…" She stopped us before we got to the deck and we were still out of ear shot. "What are the terms?" She smiled evilly up at me, folding her arms across her chest.

"Hmm," I mused, tucking her hair behind her ear. She was right it, was kind of hot. "What do you want?"

"Loaded question, Edward," she snickered and I chuckled with her. "Ok…I want a date…the whole deal…dinner, movie…_dessert_…" She raised her eyebrow.

"Ok," I smiled, thinking that wasn't a bad idea anyway. "I want…a slave for a day. That's you naked all day, doing exactly what I ask…twenty four hours." I folded my arms across my chest.

"Jesus," she groaned. "And I lose out…how?" She whispered to herself. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "Rules?" She smirked up at me.

"You can't trick me in everyday conversation…whoever breaks first is the loser," I raised my eyebrow at her and she laughed and nodded. "Deal or not?" I asked still laughing.

"Deal," she raised her pinky.

"Oh, hell, the pinky swear," I snorted, linking mine with hers. We joined the table with them still linked.

"What the hell did you just pinky swear over?" Emmett snorted, looking between the two of us.

"Wow, Em, that's a whole bunch of _nunya_ right there," Bella laughed. "Nunya damn business…" I chuckled with her.

Rose and Alice snorted, shaking their heads. "God," Rose giggled. "Ya'll really never grew up, did you?" My parents laughed, shaking their heads.

"What?" Jasper gasped. "Why the hell should we? The same rules we used when we were thirteen and fourteen are just as powerful now!" He laughed and we all nodded.

"Like what?" Rose snickered.

"The pinky swear," Emmett smiled, pointing to us. "It's a sacred, honor binding contract…beats signing your name on the dotted line any day." We all raised our beers.

"Girl talk," Bella smiled, looking over at my sister. "Completely safe…it never leaves the women in the room." She nodded and Alice laughed, nodding. "Honesty…always…whether it will hurt or not…"

"Yup," Alice smiled. We all just stared at them. "Example?" She asked and we nodded. "We will, with no shame, tell each other if something we're wearing looks terrible. All sex talk is open for discussion…_if_ disclosure is needed, we have to suffer through it no matter who we are talking about." She sighed, looking at Bella who was laughing. Rose snorted and nodded.

"Rock, paper, scissors…it's the perfect way to make a decision without an argument," Jasper laughed, looking at Bella.

"Especially if everyone else is drunk!" She snorted.

"Everyone watches everyone else's back," I chimed in. "What happens in the group, stays in the group."

"Oh yeah," Emmett smiled, nodding. "And not to mention, never pick on each other for shortcomings or insecurities."

"What?!" My mother laughed.

"Wait," Alice laughed, holding up a hand. "There's a difference in poking fun when someone acts like a doofus and hurting someone for what they are already nervous about."

"I don't get it," Dad smiled, "you guys are ruthless."

"Ok," Bella smiled. "Prime example without hurting anyone here," she raised her eyebrow around the table. "Edward…didn't want anyone at school to know about the piano…we never said a word."

"Nope," Jasper smiled, shaking his head.

"It's true," I laughed, looking at my parents shocked faces. "But, don't think they wouldn't rag me if I missed a catch in gym class." I snorted, looking at Emmett and Jasper. "See, the difference?"

"No," my parents laughed.

"Hmm," Jasper mused, frowning in thought. "Ok, how's this? No one ever said anything about me and Emmett living with Bella and Charlie. If it could hurt us, get us in fights outside our group…it wasn't mentioned. But, if I tripped in the lunchroom…it was an all day laugh." I nodded, thinking that was better explained. Bella's mother was also an untouchable subject.

"Right," Emmett smiled.

"Oh," Dad smiled. "Ok…what other rules still hold true today?"

"Any decision made, is backed up by everyone, whether we like it or not…opinions will be voiced, but the support is there no matter what," Bella smiled.

"Here, here," Emmett laughed and we all toasted to that one.

"And last, but not least…" Alice giggled, "under no circumstances is Edward allowed to go anywhere without Bella there to save him…" The whole table exploded in hysterics. Bella looked up at me laughing and I just shrugged, causing more laughter.

"I have a new addendum to that rule," my mother snickered. "We all have to be there…"

"Fantastic," Bella rolled her eyes. "It's too late to teach you, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so, love," I smirked, knowing there wasn't anything I loved more than to have her come and save me. "When do we work the bar again?" I asked, snickering.

"Tomorrow night," she fought her smile.

"We'll be there," everyone laughed.

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**A/N…Ok…the bet should prove interesting and James popped back up…so what do you think?**

**Review and let me know…love you all…**

**And to Brits23...my awesome beta…thanks for sorting through my sometimes confusing sentences! LOL I look at them and finally just say, fuck it, Brits will figure it out! LMAO**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N…Ok, here you go…And just to keep things interesting, there's a poll on my profile…who do you think will win the bet? Go vote…I'm interested in seeing your opinion.**

**Have fun…see you at the bottom…**

* * *

CHAPTER 12

BPOV

"I can't believe they're all really coming tonight," I snorted, pulling my shirt over my head. "Is it really that entertaining?" I laughed, pulling my hair back into a headband.

"I guess," Edward shrugged, smiling. "I always saw it as more of a necessity than anything else."

"Of course you did," I smiled up at him. I felt my eyes glaze over as he pulled his jeans up over his gray boxer briefs. I shook my head and smiled to myself as I tied my sneakers. I couldn't resist a glance back up as he pulled his t-shirt on, his muscles flexing in ways that made my breathing stop. I bit my lip as he ran his hands through his hair after the shirt had sent it into more disarray than before.

"What?" He asked, buckling his belt and totally busting me ogling him. His crooked grin just added to the whole thing and I could barely breathe.

"Nothing," I shook my head again, trying to clear it. "Come on, baby, we still have to set up…" I walked to the door, grabbing the handle.

"Ok." He held the door for me, closing and locking it. "Oh, I forgot to tell you," he smiled, linking my fingers with his as we made our way downstairs. "Alice and I looked over your schedule and that last two weeks in August might work for the move. Are you ok with that?"

"Is that the two weeks we don't have anyone coming in?" I asked, unlocking the bar.

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded, his face pure joy.

"Then fine," I smiled. "What's the plan?"

As we got the bar ready to open, he told me how the schedule would work. The four of us would fly into Chicago on a Sunday, leaving on Friday. That would give us plenty of time to pack his place, Jasper and Alice to pack hers, have the movers load it and come home. They both rented, so they would give notice when they got there. As far as furniture went, they would sell it or leave it, taking only what they truly wanted to keep.

The big debate was their cars. Alice was willing to put hers on a transport, but Edward was leaning towards driving back.

"What are you guys driving now, anyway?" I asked, pouring a bucket of ice in the bin.

"I have a Volvo C70 convertible," he smiled. "Alice has a Porsche 911 Turbo."

I had forgotten the Cullen's obsession with cars. Carlisle had owned a Mercedes as long as I could remember, upgrading every three or four years. Esme usually had an SUV of some kind. Edward's first car was a Volvo and it shocked me he still had one.

"Of course she does," I laughed. "Let me guess…hers is yellow?"

"Yeah, you've seen it?" He nodded.

"Nope, but she's wanted one since we were fifteen," I smiled at the memory. "Damn thing had to be yellow…it was a must-have," I snorted, walking over to start pulling chairs down. "You have a convertible…that's more fitting for down here…"

"It will be," he winked. "I think I could let the top down…_maybe_ five times a year."

"The things that must do to your hair," I laughed as he threw a rag at me.

The bar filled up quickly due to the holiday the day before. I saw faces that came in pretty often and some I didn't know. I rolled my eyes as our family walked in, taking the table behind the row of barstools. Edward snickered, shaking his head.

"Damn, it's packed," Emmett smiled. "Yell if you need help."

"Sure, Em," I smiled back and nodded, "thanks. Ok, so what are you guys drinking…besides beer, I'll bring that too." I looked at them all.

"You haven't done shots with me in a while, Bells," Rose smirked, folding her arms across her chest.

"Rose," I whined, looking at Esme and Carlisle and back to her. She smiled evilly at me and looked at Emmett. His eyes flickered to the jukebox. "Em, not now."

"Come on, Bells," Alice bounced and clapped.

"Shit," I breathed. "Forgive us," I laughed, looking at her parents. Esme just loved to see us happy, so she waved us on without a word. I turned back to Rose. "What shot, crazy woman?"

"Flaming Dr. Peppers," she grinned. I cursed under my breath, knowing what it entailed. Emmett had started this last summer.

"Sweet!" Emmett boomed. I looked at my other brother and he just laughed shaking his head.

Both girls rushed the bar when I walked around it to make the drinks. Edward's curious glances at us made me smile. "Forget what you are about to see," I mumbled to him, pulling out three beer mugs and three shot glasses.

"What are you three up to?"

"Blame Rose…or Emmett…I don't care," I snorted, filling the mugs halfway with beer. I pulled the Amaretto down and filled the three shot glasses. Putting that away, I grabbed the 151, setting it on the bar next to a lighter.

"…the hell?" Edward laughed.

Some of the regulars saw what I was making and cheered at Emmett as he started _"Shake Me"_ by Cinderella. He ran behind the bar, smiling like a child and shoved me out. I took my place by Rose.

A regular by the name of Sherry joined us and Emmett made one more. She was a little older than us and owned a small convenience store a few doors down. "Are we racing, Bells?" She asked, laughing in her gravelly, but sweet voice.

"Yeah," I snorted. "What the hell!"

All four of us kneeled on the barstools in front of us. Emmett dropped all the shots into the beer mugs and then poured 151 on top. Flicking the lighter, blue flames ignited on the top of each drink. "Now!" He yelled, pulling Edward back.

We all grabbed our mugs, blowing out the flames and chugged. I actually liked this shot. They really did taste like Dr. Pepper. I slammed my mug down at the same time Rose did, the shot glasses rattling from the inside. "Damn!" I laughed, looking up at her.

"Tie!" Emmett and Edward cheered.

"No more shots for me," I laughed, shaking my head at Edward. "I still have to work the rest of the night…those things will knock you on your ass." I looked up at Rose. "I give you the win," I waved at her.

"Nice!" Rose beamed.

"Nice try though, love," he smiled, kissing my head.

Our family was starting to get a little buzzed and somewhat disappointed. No girls had made Edward uncomfortable all night. I was perfectly fine with that and so was he. Plus, we were too damn busy to focus on it.

Sherry called me over for another beer, introducing me to her younger sister, Sarah. She was a pretty girl, petite with hazel eyes that had more blue to them, than green. Her hair was a light brown with blonde highlights. "Hey Sarah," I wiped the bar. "Drink?"

"Yeah," she smiled, but it faltered when Edward brushed past me. "Damn," she groaned. "Um, beer's fine," she smiled, her eyes watching his every move. Two thoughts went through my head. Stake my claim or let it ride. I made the decision to let it ride.

I spent a fair amount of time with the tables, and we were starting to slow down. By the time I came back behind the bar, Sarah was reaching across the bar for Edward's attention. I smiled at his eye roll and laughed when I heard the collective groan from our family's table.

Sarah wasn't the only one gawking at Edward by the time I came back to the bar. A woman at the opposite end was looking at him like he was her next meal.

She was an attractive forty-something woman with auburn hair. She looked well taken care of, smiling at him with perfect teeth. What you couldn't help but notice -- and she totally wanted them noticed -- was her large breasts pushed up high, showing an amazing display of cleavage at the top of her sundress.

She tried to flirt Edward…_tried_ being the key word. He was doing that innocent sexy thing he always did where just a smile or a chuckle would leave you breathless, needing a change in panties, but he had no clue he was causing heart palpitations. _None_. And I couldn't love him more for it if I tried.

As she talked to him, she would lean forward onto the bar in a desperate attempt to get him to notice her. I snickered to myself as I made drinks, hearing his velvet voice in my ear as I knelt down under the bar and opening the cabinet.

"What's so funny?" He asked, kneeling beside me.

"You're attracting _cougars_ now, I see," I giggled, leaning into him. "Those are…um, impressive," I snorted.

"I wouldn't know," he chuckled, reaching around me like he was getting something off the shelf. His hand snaked around to cup my breast, lingering for only a moment and reaching into the cabinet for a can of juice. "No, _that's_ impressive," he whispered in my ear, kissing the shell and standing.

I groaned, looking down. Both of my nipples were standing at attention. "That's so wrong," I snickered, closing my eyes and willing them to go back down. "Is that the game you want to play, Cullen?" I asked, standing.

Edward caught a glimpse of my problem and fought his smile, trying to talk to a customer. I made my drinks and took them out, stopping by the family table along the way.

"What an interesting shade of pink you are, Bells," Jasper noted with a smile on his face.

"Shut it," I growled, glaring at Edward's all too innocent face behind the bar.

"Oh hell, what did he do?" Alice giggled, looking between us.

"Never mind," I smiled, "but I will get even."

Rose's head fell back in a deep laugh. "Oh shit! Poor Edward!"

"Oh no, there's no 'poor Edward'…" I huffed, walking back to the bar.

"Bells," Sherry stopped me. "My sister has a question for you." I turned to Sarah as she hissed at her sister.

"Um, is he…I mean…um, single?" Her eyes flicked to him and back to me.

"No," I smiled, shaking my head. "He's quite taken." I couldn't flaunt it in front of her. She was the first woman in a long time that was kind enough to _ask_ instead of just trying to sink their claws into him.

"Oh," she sighed. "Lucky girl," she mumbled.

"Yes, I am," I giggled.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry!" Sarah's face was garnet. Her sister was in hysterics.

"Don't be," I laughed, pouring them two more beers. "These are on me, ladies, thank you for at least asking…not everyone does…see?" I flicked my eyes to the cougar down on the end. She was leaning on the bar, her fingers tracing the grain of the wood and getting closer and closer to Edward's arm. She was looking at him like a lion looks at a wounded wildebeest.

"Ew!" Sarah gasped. "God, how do you deal with it?" She asked, her eyes wide. "Don't you get jealous?"

"No, not really," I shook my head. I knew that must have sounded crazy, considering what he looked like and the amount of attention he received, but after all these years, I was still the one he asked for help. "He's not what he seems…there's more behind the face…" I raised my eyebrow at them. "Plus, he always lets me know if I need to chase her off." I smirked and they both laughed, watching the woman fail again at her attempts.

The more Cougar -- that was now her name in my head -- drank, the more desperate she became to touch him. When we were busy, he was able to avoid her, but we were starting to slow down. She was grasping at straws to keep his attention.

I took a few orders, coming back to fill them. I bent down to get a few bottled beers out of the fridge and felt Edward right behind me, his arms around me to pour a beer from the tap.

I could feel all of him as he shifted his hips on purpose. I stood up with my beers in my hand, turning around directly in front of him. I raised my eyebrow. "Are you intentionally trying to drive me crazy?" I asked, smiling at him.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" He asked, laughing nervously and turning slightly pink.

"Not at all, baby," I smiled, "I just need your bottle opener." I reached out, patting his pocket. "Hmm," I mused, "not that pocket." His laugh came out in a short, nervous huff. I slid my hand across the front of his jeans slowly, smiling at the short intake of his breath. I patted the other side. "Oh, there it is," I bit my lip, reaching in and tracing my fingers along his length from the inside of the pocket. The moan he let out was almost too much. I took out the opener and popped off all the caps of my beers. "Thanks," I beamed, dropping it back down in his pocket. "Keep it up, Cullen, and you'll be on your own with Melons down there," I laughed, walking away.

"Why is my son red, Bella?" Esme giggled, stopping me as I walked by.

"Revenge, Esme…revenge." I smiled, sitting next to her for a moment. "Details are not something you want to know…" The whole table laughed and I looked up to see Cougar trying again. "Damn, she's relentless."

"She's _drunk_," Jasper laughed. "I've watched her down like four Cosmos in the last forty five minutes."

"Oh…hmm," I mused, my brow knitted together. I was trying to figure out just how I was going to help him when his pained face looked up at me. She was holding his hand and not letting go.

I stood up and walked back around the bar. "Edward?" I called, knowing just his answer will give her a hint.

"Yes, love?" He smirked turning around and pulling his hand from Cougar's grasp. "Have you thought anymore on how you're going to win our bet?" He asked, tilting his head at me. We were standing right in front of Melons. Ok, so she had two names.

"Oh, definitely," I nodded, trying not to laugh. "I'm actually looking forward to winning…"

"Oh," he smiled, his eyebrows shot up, "so, you think you're going to win, huh?"

"With that bet," I laughed, "there's no losing…but, I will put forth my best effort."

"I'm sure you will," his eyes darkened at this statement, his tongue snaking out to lick his bottom lip. "Huh," he shook his head slightly.

"Anyway," I smiled, shaking him back to reality. "I was just going to let you know that I was going to start cleaning up out there." I pointed to the tables.

"Oh, ok…do you need help?" He asked, handing me the towel I was reaching for.

"No, I'm on top of things," I shook my head. "Do you want to be next?" I bit my lip, looking up at him.

"God, yes," he whispered, closing his eyes. I feared I might have pushed too far, that he might not be able to speak. He opened his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. "I better be," his voice was deep. He looked up at the clock. "An hour," he raised his eyebrow at me.

We had totally forgotten Cougar, but I heard her sigh and mumble something about trying to get him to look at her that way all night. She set down a few bills and got up stumbling away. I mouthed to Emmett to call her a cab. There was no way she could drive.

As soon as the door closed behind her the family table exploded. Jasper and Rose stood up clapping. Sherry and Sarah were in hysterics at their reaction. I just shook my head at all of them.

"That was worth waiting for, Bells," Sherry snickered, standing and leaving money on the bar. "I'll see you later." She and Sarah were still laughing when they left.

They were the last to leave followed by the family. I locked the doors and turned to start the clean up. I found myself pressed into the wall. Edward's lips were hungry, his groan causing my own. His hands were on each side of my head planted against the wall as he leaned into me. It was a desperate kiss with gasps and whimpers. His tongue swirled across my mouth, finally caressing my own tongue.

He leaned in more with his weight on one forearm, his other hand sliding down my body and down my thigh, hitching my leg up around his waist. I gasped as he bucked his hips into me, hitting me just where I had been aching all night. He broke from my mouth. "I'm sorry I drove you crazy tonight," he murmured against the skin of my neck as he sucked lightly.

"You did," I breathed, my hands gripping his hair and pulling his mouth back to mine. I was grinding against him, my leg still around him. He cupped my breast over my shirt with one hand as the other came off the wall and fisted in my hair to turn my head. I arched, shaking against him when he drew his thumb roughly across my nipple. Even though it was over my shirt, just the feel of him was pushing me. "Edward," I gasped, breaking from his mouth. "Do something," I whimpered, grinding against him.

He backed away from me, setting my leg on the floor. His hands fumbled with my shorts as he backed us to a booth seat. The back of his legs hit the edge and I gasped as he pushed my shorts down and I stepped out of them. I gripped his waistband, yanking open his jeans and shoved them down.

We had worked ourselves up all night. The whole working shift was foreplay. The release was needed so badly that we didn't even bother to remove anymore clothes.

Our eyes never broke away from each other as I pushed him down on the seat and he pulled me into his lap, guiding me down over him. I pressed my forehead to his, my hands gripping his shirt at his shoulders.

EPOV

God, there was nothing like it. There was nothing like having her above me, begging for me, surrounding me. My whole body had been screaming for her all night. Ever since we had gotten back together, I felt like I did our last summer. I was insatiable when it came to her. At first, I thought we were making up for lost time, but every time I was with her it was extraordinary.

I guided her hips over me, knowing that I was going to come fast. I had been fighting it all night. My eyes closed at the feel of her. "So wet, baby," I groaned, licking and sucking at the soft spot behind her ear.

"All night, Edward," she breathed. "You did this to me."

My head dropped to her shoulder with the knowledge that I had done this to her. "Fuck, Bella, say that again," I growled, grinding her down against me and looking back up at her.

"You did this to me, Edward," her head fell back and I felt her muscles twitch. I wasn't the only one who was close. The sweetest sound escaped her when my hand glided between us, my thumb pressing against her clit. I kissed up her neck and she unraveled in my arms. "Edward," she breathed. "Oh God…"

Her mouth attacked mine in a frenzy, sucking my tongue and bottom lip. She braced herself on my shoulders and swiveled her hips. She slowed down and sped up, she rose and fell. My eyes rolled at the feel of her. She was sweet torture.

"Does it feel good, Edward?" She asked, her voice was husky, sexy. I knew what she was doing. She was trying to win our bet. I wasn't going to give in yet. I did hate those words. I don't know why, but they seemed so crude, so disrespectful. However, her reaction to it on the beach was almost too much to resist. Almost.

"God, Bella, nothing feels as good as you do," I pulled her t-shirt away from her neck, nipping at her collarbone. "Baby, I'm so close," I gasped as she took my earlobe in her mouth. She constricted her muscles around me and I lost it. "Jesus…shit!" I shattered under her.

She kissed me slowly, her tongue moving with mine languidly. With a last chaste kiss, she rested her head to mine. "Wow," she smiled. "That was worth the wait."

I snickered, kissing her quickly. "Come on, beautiful, let's finish this place up. I may not be done with you." She moaned, her eyes closing.

"You would think we were eighteen again," she smiled, licking her lips.

"One would think," I smirked, happy that she was feeling the same thing I was.

We cleaned up the bar, stacked the chairs on top of the tables, locked up and fell into bed, wrapping ourselves around each other once more.

I awoke to the shrill ringing of Bella's phone. She curled herself into me, trying to shut it out. It didn't stop ringing. I opened my eyes to see that it was still dark outside. She froze. "That's Jake's ring tone."

She flew up, grabbing her phone. "Jake?" She answered sleepily. "What's wrong, buddy?" She rubbed her face. "Buddy, calm down…don't cry…I can't understand you." She gasped, her eyes flying to me. "Ok, we'll be right there, Jake, hang up and dial nine-one-one. _Promise me!_" She turned to me, ending the call. "Go wake Emmett and Jasper. Someone broke into Billy's and he's hurt. Jake's not sure if there is someone still in the house."

"Shit," I jumped up, throwing on my jeans and flying out the door. I pounded on her bothers' doors and told them what was going on. I came back into our room and tossed a t-shirt on. Bella came out of the bathroom dressed similar to me. "Love, maybe…you should stay here…"

"Not a chance! Jake needs me." Her eyes were on fire.

"Ok, yeah, but if I tell you to move or run, promise me you will," I grabbed her shoulders. My concern for her safety was making it hard for me to breathe. She nodded and put on her sneakers. I did the same and we were all flying out the door behind Emmett.

Emmett and Jasper were just as adamant about keeping Bella safe as I was. While they agreed that Jake was going to need her, they made her stay outside while we went into Billy's house. If Jake had called the police like Bella told him to, then they hadn't arrived yet.

The place was destroyed. Furniture was tipped over and ripped. There were holes in the plaster of the walls. The kitchen had food from the refrigerator thrown about all over the floor. We found Billy in the hallway, his wheelchair tipped over, the wheels bent. He was unconscious and his face was bruised and bloody.

"Shit," Jasper gasped, kneeling down with me beside him. I checked for a pulse and sighed when I found one.

"Jake? J-man?" Emmett asked, walking down the hall towards the bedrooms. "Come out Jake, little dude, you're safe," I could hear the fear in his voice. I heard a sniffle from behind me and saw Jake standing there shaking, tears coursing down his face.

"Mr. Edward?" He cried, running to me.

I scooped him up. "It's ok, Jake," I sighed, walking him to the one person I knew he would want to see the most.

"Thank God," Jasper breathed. "Em, he's here."

I walked out the front door and found Bella pacing. "Oh thank God," she ran to me. "Jake?"

As soon as he heard her voice, he lost it. Heartbreaking sobs wracked his body as he reached for her. She gathered him up from me, silently thanking me with her eyes. It was about that time that I heard the sirens.

While the police talked to Bella and Jasper, Emmett and I took the paramedics to Billy. He was awake, barely able to speak. He spoke the one name I wasn't expecting. "James," he whispered, gripping my shirt as they rolled him out of the house. "You have to keep her safe." He looked over at Bella holding his son. Emmett cursed under his breath.

"Billy?" Bella whispered. Jake had cried himself to sleep in her arms.

"I'll be fine, Bells," he tried to smile, but it came across as more of a grimace. "Keep him," he whispered. "Call my sister and let her know." Bella nodded, trying to fight tears. Jasper immediately took out his phone and called, walking away to explain.

"Do you know who did this?" She asked. It was the one question Emmett and I feared most. Billy looked at us and waved us to tell her.

"Bells, give me the little man," Emmett sighed, looking at me. "I'll put him in the Jeep." She handed him over, careful not to wake him.

An older policeman was watching the whole thing. "You're going to blame yourself, love…I don't want you to do that. Do you hear me?" I asked, gripping her shoulders. She nodded, looking scared. "James did this."

"No!" She gasped. "Why?"

"I don't know," I sighed, pulling her to me.

"Who's this James?" The officer asked, looking at Bella.

She told the officer everything about him. I was proud as she gave them every detail of his life. She was pissed and she wanted revenge. She told them of his drug use, the make and color of his car, the addresses where he hung out…everything.

Since Billy gave us permission, we took Jake. I was pretty sure that they would have had to fight her for him anyway. We were finishing up with the officer, giving him contact numbers when Jake screamed from the Jeep, scaring us all half to death. "Nightmare," Bella said, walking away.

The sun was coming up as we got back to the inn. Bella was exhausted, so I carried Jake into our room, tucking him into bed. "Bella, get in with him, please."

"Ok," she sighed, climbing in after kicking off her shoes. I knelt by the bed just looking at her and brushing her hair from her face. "Where are you going?" She asked softly, cupping my face with her warm hand.

"Emmett wants to talk and Jasper is calling Billy's sister…"

"Sue," she yawned adorably.

"Yeah," I nodded, kissing her softly. "Get some sleep. I love you." I kissed her again.

"I love you too, baby," she yawned again. I was pretty sure she was asleep before I left the room.

I met her brothers out on the deck. Angela was setting up for breakfast, so I grabbed a cup of coffee on my way out, sitting down hard in the chair.

Jasper was on the phone, pacing back and forth.

"Sue," Emmett clarified. "Billy's in surgery…something about a punctured lung."

"He's going to be fine," Jasper sighed tiredly, plopping down in the chair next to mine. "Sue says for Bells to keep Jake. He's happy with her." I nodded, running my hand through my hair. I sat forward, resting my elbows on my knees.

"You ok, dude?" Emmett asked, his voice tight.

"I. Want. To. Kill. Him." I forced each word out, my eyes closing. My temper was barely under control. I knew I couldn't do anything at the moment. I knew I had to stay calm. My reflex to protect Bella, the reflex that had always been there, kicked into overdrive. My stomach lurched when I remembered the fear in her face at the mention of James' name.

"Yeah," Jasper nodded. "I get it. So…what's the plan? Obviously, the girls can't be left alone."

"Right," Emmett frowned. "Rosie will be fine at her shop, but I want her staying here at night. I _really_ don't want Bells alone at all."

"Definitely not," I growled. "No…not to run, not in the bar…not even to the store…" They both nodded at my words. I watched Angela come out, setting a plate of muffins down for us.

"Are you boys ok?" She asked, stopping when she saw our faces. Jasper let her in on the events of the morning.

"You should have Ben stay with you, Ang," Emmett sighed. "Please."

"Too late," she blushed, "but I will call him and let him know." Jasper smiled at her reaction. She started for the door and stopped, turning around. "You know, I never liked him. He always treated her like a possession. It didn't last long…you know Bells…she didn't put up with that shit very long. And he cheated on her…so…_why?_"

"I don't know," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Well," she paused, looking over the three of us. "I almost feel sorry for him when you three get a hold of him. That just won't be pretty." Emmett smiled, nodding and picking up a muffin. She walked back in to finish her work.

"Ok, well, we need to work out a schedule," I started and remembered my job interview. "Does he know where the Tampa house is?"

"I doubt it," Jasper snorted. "Bells never took anyone there. She always saw him here on the island. Why?"

"I have an interview next week. We were going to stay there," I frowned. "We'll take Jake if we still have him."

For the next hour and another cup of coffee, we talked out a plan to keep the girls, my parents, Angela and Jake safe from this asshole.

"Oh! What about that family?" Emmett asked, stuffing half a muffin in his mouth.

"They check out today…we're empty until next weekend," Jasper replied.

"Good," I sighed, seeing my parents wander down and it occurred to me that they had slept through the whole thing. My mother froze in mid-step when she saw our faces. They both sat with us and we told them about James and Billy. We let them in on the plan to keep everyone safe.

The only change they suggested was leaving Jake with them while we were in Tampa. I told them it would be up to Bella.

By the time Alice and Rose joined us, I really wanted to check on my sweet girl and Jake. Grabbing coffee for her and juice and muffins for Jake, I went back to the room.

Jake was sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels on TV. I heard the shower, so Bella was awake.

"Mr. Edward," Jake smiled, running up to me.

"Hey, pal," I handed him the bag in my hand. "I brought you something. I thought you might be hungry."

"Thanks," he smiled, sitting back down on the couch, pulling a muffin out. I noticed he was quieter than usual. His bright demeanor was dimmed by the early morning events. Anger flared through me at James for doing this to a kid that didn't deserve it.

"I have news, too," I sat beside him. He looked up at me, taking the juice I was holding out for him. "Your dad's going to be fine. He wants you to stay with us until he's better. Is that cool with you?"

"Heck yeah," he face brightened and I couldn't help but chuckle with him. "Can we go swimming later?" He asked, but his eyes were looking past me.

"I have to go get you a few things, buddy," Bella smiled, taking the coffee I offered her. She sat down on the arm of the couch next to me, kissing my head and resting her hand on my shoulder. "I can't go to your house, Jakie, and you need clothes and shoes for the next few days." His face scrunched up in disgust and I laughed.

"Typical boy," she sighed, smiling. "Mr. Edward doesn't like shopping either." I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. Jake laughed, taking a drink of juice.

"We'll make a day of it," I told them both. "Jake, I'll save you. The mall has a movie theatre, right?" Bella smiled and nodded. "We'll go to a movie afterwards, pal."

"Ok," he beamed, turning to watch cartoons.

BPOV

"Boy, if this doesn't bring back memories," Alice murmured as we walked into the mall.

Since Emily and her parents checked out and Carlisle and Esme were looking at houses, Alice, Rose and my brothers decided to join us at the mall. Jake needed clothes and shoes and Edward promised him a movie. Emmett and Jasper couldn't resist _"Wolverine"_ and the girls and I couldn't resist Hugh Jackman.

We were wandering past the stores, waiting for the next matinee. Jake had put up with clothes shopping only so long and that was because the guys had made it a game. Emmett got a huge reaction out of Jake when he started handing him dresses. They chased each other all over Old Navy.

Billy had finally called just before we had left the inn, calming Jake's nerves about his dad immensely. He told Jake to be good for us and that he would be home in a few days.

"I wonder how much time we spent at the mall in high school," I mused, watching Edward and Emmett drag Jake into a toy store, Jasper leading the way. Today they were all the same age. Six.

"Millions of hours, I'm sure," Alice snorted.

"Didn't we all in high school…I mean, there was nowhere else to go, really," Rose stated, her eyes darting to a group of teens passing us.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Hey, let's hit Victoria's Secret while they are in there."

"Yes!" Rose beamed. "It's an addiction…this store, seriously." Alice and I laughed and nodded in agreement.

I knew why everyone was with me and to be honest, I was totally ok with it. They were not going to leave me alone while James was acting the way he was. His attack on Billy was insane. It didn't make sense to me and I was angry with him. I didn't think James was all that upset about our break up. He had moved on with someone else, so I assumed he didn't care.

What pissed me off beyond reason was that he took his anger out on two people that were innocent of the whole situation. I could almost understand my brothers or Edward, and I could completely understand if it were me, but a man in a wheelchair and a little boy getting hurt…well, I had zero patience for it.

I knew this was worrying Edward. He put on a happy face for Jake, but I saw the darkness in his eyes.

Rose and Alice were in a deep, intellectual debate over thongs versus boy shorts. I just snorted and walked away, browsing through the all lace sets.

My phone rang and I giggled looking at the caller ID. "Yes, Edward?"

"Are you shopping for me?" He asked, his voice deep, husky.

"I can…what size?" I asked innocently. His chuckle was velvet and I could feel it over my whole body even through the phone.

"You know what I mean, love." I could hear Jake babbling in the background. I turned to look out the store window to see him leaning sexily on the opposite side from me. Fuck, just leaning there he was like artwork. Emmett, Jasper and Jake were playing with a remote control car in the toy store.

"So…you have a preference?" I asked, watching him nod slowly.

"I actually _prefer_ you in nothing…but since you're surrounded by…a rainbow of choices, then I really like that blue one right behind you." He smirked, raising his eyebrow.

I turned around to see an ice blue set with a thong. "Hmm," I smiled, "and he's got good taste too." He chuckled in my ear. "What else, Mr. I-Don't-Like-To-Shop?"

"Hmm," I heard and I turned to see him look around me. "The red and black one?" I walked over and picked my size. I waved him on with a smile and I heard him chuckle again. "Oh, the white one…"

"White? Really?" I looked at it and it was really beautiful, much more so than the others. "Ok…anything else, Edward?"

"Mm, God," he groaned, "I want them all, love."

"Easy, baby," I breathed. "Why don't I surprise you? Go back in the toy store. We still have a movie to get through."

"Ok…" He sighed, but I watched as his face turned up into my favorite crooked smile. "The pink one…surprise me with that…"

I laughed, shaking my head. "We'll see."

After getting every color he requested and a few he didn't, I emerged from the store with Rose and Alice.

"Movie time!" Jake beamed. Edward stealthily pulled on the bag in my hand.

"Not a chance, Edward," I smirked, smacking his hand away. He feigned being offended, but his eyes were dark. Shameless thing.

We settled into our seats. Jake, feeling independent, wanted to sit in the row ahead of us. As long as I could see his head in the dark, I was ok with it. I handed him his popcorn and drink. He munched away happily, watching the previews.

I could tell my brothers were still on alert, because they both took end seats on each end of Jake's row with Rose and Alice. I turned to Edward. "Do you really think James would come in here?" He studied my face for a moment, reaching up to tuck my hair behind my ear.

"He would regret it," he growled low. "But, we aren't taking chances with you and Jake."

I nodded. "I know…I just hope…" I stopped, biting my lip. "I'm scared, Edward. I didn't think he was like this…" I felt the tears before I could stop them.

"Shh, love," he kissed my forehead. "For his sake, the police better get to him first…because we won't let him near you."

I nodded again as he pulled me to his shoulder, kissing the top of my head. "My fault," I whispered, tears falling.

"I told you it wasn't," he whispered back and I could feel him shaking his head. "Apparently, we both liked insane people while we were apart," he said, sarcasm dripping from his velvet tongue.

I sniffled and laughed softly at the same time, turning my head to kiss his neck.

"Hey," he bent to my ear, kissing it softly. "Did I ever tell you how _bad_ I wanted to make out with you in a movie?"

"You mean we…didn't?" I groaned softly, the last word breaking. I felt his smile against my ear and I forgot my name.

"Nope." He licked slowly, hotly behind my ear. "We rented movies, baby."

"Jesus," I breathed as he lightly sucked my neck, ignoring the movie starting. "Are you…God, Edward…trying to distract me?" I could barely see. The electricity between us was charged and crackling.

"Yes, is it working?" He laughed quietly. His hot breath on my neck sent a shiver down my spine. My head snapped up and nodded. He froze, his mouth slightly open. My breathing was shallow, watching his tongue drag across his bottom lip.

I was well aware that Jake could turn around at any moment, but I couldn't resist Edward. We leaned in together, the movie booming around us. With sweeping tongues and open mouths, we drank each other in.

My hand fisted in his hair as his cupped my face, sliding back to my neck to pull me in deeper. I sucked his top lip, swirling my tongue over it. He sighed into my mouth, turning his head, his tongue gliding along mine.

The kisses were slow and deep, chaste and sweet. We tried throughout the movie to stop, but it was impossible. We didn't take it any further than that, but it seemed like the dark theatre just drew us in together.

Whispered laughs and soft smiles were exchanged, making us forget the reality that was outside the darkness that sheltered us. Tongues on skin, hands over and under clothes, sighs and soft groans all went unnoticed due to the action on the screen.

As the credits rolled, we pulled apart, wry smiles on our faces. Edward ran a hand through his hair that I had thoroughly ruffled. "I can't believe we just did that," he chuckled.

"I can," I laughed, leaning forward to check on Jake. He was already up and moving towards Emmett's end of the row. My brother scooped him up with a laugh, tossing him up on top of his shoulders. I started to pull my hair up into a ponytail. It felt knotted and out of control.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, love," Edward snorted.

"You didn't!" I gasped with a laugh, letting my hair fall back down as we walked out of the theatre. He just laughed, nodding and turning slightly pink. "Damn," I smirked at him. He seemed a little proud of it. "How bad?" I asked and then said, "Forget it…I'll check myself." I walked into the bathroom, looking in the mirror. Just behind my ear was a dark mark from Edward. "That little…"

"I'd be willing to bet you didn't watch a minute of that movie," Rose drawled, leaning against the sink with a knowing smile on her face. Alice was smirking beside her with her arms folded across her chest.

"Yeah, not taking that bet," I mumbled, stepping into a stall as they laughed loudly. I rolled my eyes, but smiled as I came out.

We all left the restroom at the same time, me pulling my phone out to check for messages. I had one voicemail. I hit the retrieve button and listened. My breath caught in my throat, my feet faltered at the menace in James' voice. Everyone stopped when I did, looking at me cautiously. Edward's face was nothing but concern.

"I hope you received my message last night with that cripple and his brat, Bells," said his recorded voice. "It's a warning, bitch. No one…and I mean _no one_…humiliates me the way you have. Your brothers and that pretty boy of yours are next…I'll kill him for touching you…did you even watch the movie, you whore? I'm watching every move you make…trust me."

My hands started to shake as I looked around the mall for him. "Bells?" Emmett asked, taking the phone from my trembling hand.

"Bella, sit down," Edward frowned. "Who was it?" I sat hard on a bench the air rushing out of me.

"James," Emmett growled, listening to the message. "I'm going to fucking kill him!" He whispered. Edward got up taking the phone from him and listened to the message. His eyes turned almost black with rage.

"Emmett! Language," Rose chided, holding Jake's hand.

Edward handed the phone to Jasper and he, Alice and Rose all listened at the same time.

"He's here," I barely breathed.

"Bella," Edward said, kneeling in front of me, "it's ok, love. He can't do anything…he can't touch you." He reached up and brushed my hair from my face.

I felt so violated, so exposed. James had taken a fun, innocent moment and turned it into something that was disgusting. I hated him for it. I hated that he had been watching the whole time.

"He watched us," I whispered to just Edward, tears welling up in my eyes.

"I know," he whispered back, frowning. "I'm sorry, love." He wiped away the tears that were falling.

"Don't apologize," I shook my head. "He doesn't get that from us," I snapped. "I don't apologize to total strangers for us. He can't have that!" My voice was a forced whisper.

"Then why are you shaking, baby?" He asked, rubbing my legs.

"I can't lose you…any of you…do you understand?" I asked, not giving him time to answer. "I've lost too much already…I won't make it." I gripped the sleeve of his shirt and his hand rubbed over mine to calm me.

"It won't happen, Bella," his voice was firm but laced with reassurance. "I promise you…we can handle it. You know we can…we always have." He had a slight smile on his face with the memory. I looked up to see my brothers nodding in agreement, evil grins plastered on their faces as well. Rose was on the phone with the officer from last night, telling him about the movie situation. Alice had Jake in front of a pet store window, looking at rabbits and ferrets, but she was watching the group of us with sharp eyes.

"This isn't Mike Newton…or Tyler," I frowned.

"Thank God," Jasper snorted and I rolled my eyes to their snickers.

"Yeah, Mike scratched like a girl," Emmett laughed. Edward's composure cracked, his head fell and his shoulders shook with his laugh.

"This isn't funny…if he could sneak up on us in the movies, he could be anywhere," I growled in frustration with them.

"Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick, Bells!" Emmett sighed. "Have you no faith in us? I've kicked his ass already and so has Eddie…James would be stupid to try it again."

I looked down at Edward, who was still kneeling in front of me. "Nothing happens to you…" I whispered just to him. "Nothing. I can't…" I just shook my head. "I love you too much…"

"You think I would risk that?" He smiled at me, standing and offering me his hand. His face turned serious. "You think the thought of him getting a hold of you doesn't terrify me? I understand, love, I really do, but nothing will happen."

I took his hand and stood, having to let go quickly. I caught Jake as he ran into my arms. "Miss Bella, can we swim now?" He asked as I hitched him higher on my hip.

"We'll see," I sighed. I suddenly felt exhausted. Jake was asleep before we made it home.

I looked around the car at the only family I had left, aside from Esme and Carlisle. I was terrified of losing them. I didn't know if James would try again, but just the thought of it made me sick.

* * *

**A/N…Ok, so there's drama in the air.**

**Don't forget to vote on my profile on who wins the bet.**

**A thank you to my beautiful beta Brits23...she's the best!**

**REVIEWS, please!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N…You know what…there's not much to say with this chapter…I'll let you have it and see you at the bottom.**

**Rated M for violence as well as language and lemons…**

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CHAPTER 13

EPOV

Over the next few nights, Bella's nightmares were alarming. So much so, that I had to take Jake into my parents' room at night. She would wake him up with her screams, scaring him half to death. At one point she was so scared that she ran to the bathroom to throw up.

I knew what they were about. There was no need for her to tell me, but I made her talk about them anyway. She was dreaming over and over of losing me, her brothers…everyone. She would call out for us in her sleep. She had lost both her parents and we were all that she had left. James was clever enough to plant the seed that we could be next.

She would cling to me in her sleep, shaking and crying out for me. It was heartbreaking and made me want to snap James in half like a dry twig. Instead, I talked to her, pulling her to me. It was the only thing that would ease her through the night.

They got so bad that I considered rescheduling my interview. She adamantly refused to allow me to do that, but I was nervous about leaving her alone even in the Tampa house…even for a few short hours in the middle of the damn day. And she insisted that Jake come with us.

To appease everyone, Jasper and Alice decided to come with us too. Jasper would be there if James made a stupid decision and Bella felt better about my interview. On our way out of town, we stopped by and saw Billy in the hospital.

"Are you being good for Miss Bella?" Billy asked, letting his son crawl up into the bed with him.

"Yeah Dad," Jake smiled, giving his father the once over. "We're going to Tampa."

"Oh yeah?" He looked up at us. Bella explained my interview and he was happy for the two of us. I could tell that anything that made Bella happy, made Billy happy. It seemed to be the rule for everyone that knew and loved her. It brought a smile to my face to think it was me that made her happy. "Well, good," he smiled, looking back to his son.

"When can you come home?" Jake asked quietly, scooting closer to his father.

"They say day after tomorrow," he smiled and shrugged. Jake cheered, bouncing on the bed and making Billy wince.

"Easy, buddy," Bella laughed, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Billy, my brothers are going to fix your house when the police give the all clear, ok? Don't argue," she held up her hand. Jasper was nodding behind her.

"Why would I argue with you? I would never win, Bells," he snorted. I chuckled, knowing he was totally right. She looked at me with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"It's true, love," I smiled, shaking my head.

"Any news?" Billy asked, looking between the four of us.

My sister was the one to take over. "Hey, Jake, come help me find a snack machine…I need chocolate like you wouldn't believe," she smiled, holding out her hand. Jake beamed at the prospect of attaining candy and launched off the bed with a squeal.

Jasper and I recounted the movie incident. Billy was livid that Bella was being watched as were we.

"We filed a report and now they are watching his phone activity," Bella sighed, frowning. "They've issued a warrant for his arrest, but they can't seem to narrow him down. He's on the move."

"Well, heavens knows," Billy smiled ruefully, "as long as you boys are there, he'd be a fool to try anything. A crippled man and a child are one thing…three pissed off young men are another."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Jasper mumbled. "Personally, I'm hoping for my turn."

"Jasper Whitlock!" My sister scolded from the door. "Don't you dare hope for such a thing…" Her hands were on her hips as Jake scrambled back up on the bed with his dad. He was eating M&M's.

Bella looked up at me and winced. "Oh hell," she groaned. "Not that I don't agree with her, but…" She shrugged, turning to her brother. "I know you can handle it, just don't wish for it, Jazz," she sighed. Alice was frowning and nodding at the same time. He rolled his eyes at the both of them, but nodded in acquiescence.

We stayed with Jake's father until it was time to change his bandages. I thought Jake would give us problem once it came time to leave, but he kissed his dad, grabbing Bella and Alice's hands happily. He opted to ride with my sister and Jasper, because Jasper had promised him a heated game of punch buggy for the ride over to Tampa.

We made our way to the parking garage of the hospital. It was early morning, the sun casting odd shadows throughout the level we were on. I walked Bella to her door, watching Jasper and Alice load Jake into the SUV out of the corner of my eye.

Bella froze, looking past me.

"What, love?" I asked, turning in the direction of her gaze and then back to her.

She narrowed her eyes and sighed, kissing me quickly on my cheek. "Nothing…I think I'm just being paranoid," she grimaced.

"Paranoid is better than oblivious, Bella," I told her, shutting her door and walking to the driver's side.

"I guess," she shrugged as I got in and shut my door. "I think I am just tired of waiting for the boogie man to jump out," she snorted adorably, buckling her seatbelt.

"Oh God, don't tell Alice that," I smirked. "She'll hide under the bed and never come out."

"Edward! Tell me you didn't tease her when she was young!" She gasped at me, a slight smile on her face.

"Um…well…maybe," I stuttered, not meeting her gaze.

"Brothers!" She scoffed, shaking her head. "Emmett did the same thing just after they moved in. He told a scary story. I was afraid of my feet touching the floor at night for months. He had me convinced that there was something under my bed at night that would grab my leg. Jackass!"

I couldn't help the laugh that barked out of me. I could totally see Emmett telling her that. "Yeah, well, Alice's monster was in the closet," I chuckled.

"…so wrong," she mumbled, looking over at me and fighting a smile. I just shrugged, chuckling to myself. "What time is your interview?"

"Two," I smiled, "I brought my clothes with me…I figure I can get ready later."

The drive was quicker than I expected, our conversation making it fly by. We pulled into the driveway and Jake flew out of Jasper's truck into Bella's arms. "I won!" He beamed as she hitched him up higher on her hip.

Jasper got out rubbing his arm. "Damn kid's got a hell of a punch," he mumbled, giving my sister a dark look when she laughed.

"Oh yeah?" I smirked at him. "Let me see, Jake…hit me," I smiled, turning my shoulder to him. Jake balled up his tiny fist with a laugh and let it fly. It was sharp and powerful for such a small guy. "Dang! You're right!" I laughed as we walked into the house, rubbing my arm. "Who taught you to punch?"

"Miss Bella," he smiled proudly, giving her a fist bump. She ruffled his hair with a laugh.

"That's right…" Jasper growled. "Just remember, it was me that taught her to begin with." Jake laughed, looking up at him.

"Nuh uh!" He argued, shaking his head.

"Uh uh!" Jasper's maturity lowering to six years old. "Well…me, Mr. Edward and Mr. Emmett did."

"That's true," Bella laughed, nodding. "They gave repeated lessons to me and Miss Alice," she smiled, looking at my sister who was nodding and giggling. "Not that it did any good," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "They would still rather have been in the fights themselves."

I laughed, "It wasn't that we preferred it, you just…happen…to draw attention." She looked like she was about to argue, glanced over at my sister, who was grimacing and shrugging, and then nodded.

"He's right, you know," Alice smirked. "But I don't think it was on purpose…" She paused, thinking. "We just got…_used_…to not having to defend ourselves…"

Bella laughed, "Speak for yourself!" She jerked at thumb towards me. "You didn't have to fight girls everyday…"

"And I love you for it," I laughed, kissing her head.

"You better," she teased, narrowing her eyes at me. She kissed my lips quickly and turned around. "Jake, let's get you settled and then I'll make us lunch, ok?"

"Pizza?" He squealed.

"No, not pizza…though I'd swear you have sauce in your veins instead of blood with as much as you eat. Come on," she smiled, guiding him into the guest room. I smiled, thinking that the first time I had been in the house, that was the room I was supposed to use. It just never happened and I couldn't find it in myself to complain.

BPOV

"Ok, buddy, this is your room. Alright? You have a TV, but if you ask Mr. Jasper nicely, he might share his Playstation with you." I laughed as his face lit up.

"I'm already on it," my brother snickered as he brought in the gaming system and hooked it up.

"Sweet!" Jake laughed. He sounded so much like Emmett at that moment that the whole house exploded in laughter.

"Great…a mini Emmett," Alice drawled in my ear.

"Exactly," I snorted. "You guys have fun, I'll make lunch." I headed into the kitchen, pulling out ingredients for stroganoff. Jake would complain for about a second and then tear it up. I had made this for him before. Luckily, I had everything in the house.

I was lost in my own thoughts, stirring the thick sauce, when the piano music drifted into me. I sighed, smiled and went to lean in the doorway. God, he was stunning as he sat there oblivious to everything around him. His whole face changed. His eyes would close as his mind and heart drifted off to wherever the music took him. Notes filled the house, pulling everyone else silently into the room. Even Jasper and Jake stopped their video game to stand just off to the side.

As he finished a song that I didn't recognize, Jake walked quietly up to him. He didn't say anything, but Edward slid down slightly so that Jake could sit beside him. "Ever played?" He whispered to him. Jake shook his head slowly in obvious awe. "Want to learn?" Again a quiet answer, he nodded, his eyes wide.

I forced myself to check on lunch, but couldn't stay away from the doorframe. Slowly but surely, Edward guided Jake's hands into plinking out _"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"_. Jake was quick. With his tiny hands, he had the song down pat within minutes.

Edward's patience was never ending with the lesson. A slight smile played across his lips as Jake picked up so fast. My heart was swelling with pride and love. I could barely breathe. "You ok?" Alice whispered. I just shook my head. "Yeah, that's pretty damn cute…" I just looked at her, thinking cute wasn't the right word. I'm sure my mouth was hanging open.

"Ok, Jake," Edward said softly, pulling my attention back to them. "I want you to play and I'm going to play with you, ok?" He asked, pulling Jake up to stand in front of him so that he could reach around each side of the little boy. Jake started unsure and Edward smiled, "Good. Again." Jake played again with a little more certainty. The song went from sounding like a child's song to filling the house with the most beautiful version of that song I had ever heard. Edward filled in the simple notes with flowing chords and I choked back a sob.

I really think I was choking back my swoon, my desire to run over to Edward and kiss him senseless.

"Another one!" Jake giggled, quite proud of what they had both done. Edward's smile was breathtaking. Even Jasper chuckled at the two of them, shaking his head.

With a deep breath, I turned back to lunch, setting the table. My boys had moved on to _"Heart and Soul"_. Jake was struggling with the top part, but it didn't seem to bother either one of them.

As I was just about to call them all to eat, they played the song together. It took four times through before I found my voice. "Come on, boys…Ali," I could hear the rasp in my throat.

"Can we play again, Mr. Edward?" Jake practically bounced to the table. We all sat down together.

"Maybe later, buddy," I smiled, thinking one more song and I was likely to drag Edward on top of that piano, damn the consequences and who was in the room. "Mr. Edward has to run out for a while." I made Jake's plate and set it in front of him.

"Ok," he sighed, taking a huge bite.

"Later, pal, ok?" Edward smiled. "I promise."

"Yeah, but how long will you be gone?" The disappointment on the little boy's face was unmistakable.

"Just a few hours, Jake," Edward chuckled.

I looked down at Jake as he stuffed his face. He was still looking at Edward. "Hey, I think we can come up with _something_ to do, buddy."

"Yeah, maybe we can raid Emmett's room and see what board games we can find," Jasper snickered, raising his eyebrows up and down.

"Cool!" Jake beamed. Again, he sounded like Emmett and we all bit back a laugh.

Once everyone was finished, Alice helped me clean up and put the dishes away. Edward had run off to my room to take a shower and get dressed. Jasper and Jake were in Emmett's room, looking through board games.

Alice put the last dish in the cabinet, turning to look at me with a smirk. "On a scale of one to ten," she snorted, "what was the 'aww' factor on that little piano lesson?"

"About eighteen," I groaned, leaning against the counter. She laughed, leaning next to me and putting her head on my shoulder. I kissed the top of it, saying, "Just wait until Jazz plays Twister or something…you'll see," I laughed at the groan she let loose. "I'll be back…I have to get Edward some directions." She nodded, following me out to join my brother in the living room. He and Jake were in a heated debate over what game to play next.

I picked up my laptop and toted it into my room. I heard the bathroom door open as I settled myself in the middle of my bed. I opened my computer, looking up. I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

My breath whooshed out of me. Edward in shorts, t-shirts, and jeans was one thing. He was handsome, beautiful. Edward in a black, tailored suit and tie…well, that was fucking mind blowing. "Jesus," I breathed, looking him over.

His shirt was a light, mint green and his tie was a slightly darker shade of green. The color just made his eyes stand out all the more. He had even tamed his hair, though only minimally.

"What?" He asked, looking down at himself and back up to me, his brow furrowed.

"Wow," I shook my head. "You're really trying to kill me today," I murmured. He smirked, walking towards me. "Oh, baby," I groaned, holding up my hand, "if you come any closer, that interview _won't_ happen. I guarantee you!" I raised my eyebrow at him.

He laughed, still walking to me. "I'll take my chances. I need my good luck kiss, love." He held his hand out, pulling me off the bed.

"I warned you," I whispered, ogling him up and down. "I want you to remember that."

"Warned…got it," he chuckled, leaning in to kiss me.

I snapped. There was no other way to put it. Between the sweetest piano lesson I had ever seen, to him standing here, looking like a model for Armani, my self control cracked wide open.

With a whimper, my mouth attacked his, causing his arms to tighten around my waist. I did have enough control not to sink my fingers into his hair, so I cupped his face, swirling my tongue across his bottom lip. A sigh escaped us just spurring us on all the more. Edward's hand threaded into my hair at my neck, turning my head and moaning into my mouth.

His tongue slid against mine as he pushed me down on the bed. "Edward," I gasped, breaking from his mouth. He was hovering over me and my hands flew to his chest as he dragged his lips in open mouthed kisses down my neck. "Edward!" I giggled as he traced the shell of my ear with feather light kisses. "Stop! Directions! Interview!" I could only get out one word at a time. His hand was cupping my breast over my shirt and my eyes rolled back.

I pushed against his chest again, finally giving up and grabbing his face to pull it to my eye level.

"Sorry, love," he smirked, breathing heavy and licking his lips. "I guess I didn't take your warning seriously."

"Obviously," I laughed, collapsing back on the bed breathless. He laughed with me, kissing my forehead before standing up. "Directions," I groaned, rolling over to my computer. I wrote the easiest way for him to get there and back, handing them to him.

He tucked them into his inside jacket pocket, kissing my forehead when I stood in front of him. "Good luck, baby," I smiled, straightening his tie. "Hmm," I smirked, "you have to go, Edward…you…this suit…just go." I laughed, but my brow was furrowed in my frustration not to just ravage him right there.

"You know," he smirked, pointing up and down his body. "I dress like this every day…"

"Fuck," I shuddered. "Out…go get the damn job!" I pointed out the door, my eyes closed. He laughed, kissing me again.

"Love you, Bella," he snickered, opening my bedroom door.

"God, I love you too," I smiled, shaking my head.

"Ooh! The Prada!" Alice squealed out in the living room. "Nice choice!"

"Yes, Alice," Edward laughed, looking back at me with a wink.

"Damn," Jasper wolf whistled at him, laughing when Edward flipped him off. "Good luck, bro!"

"Thanks," he smiled, picking up the keys to my truck and walking out.

Jake chattered endlessly until we finally gave in to a game of Uno which Alice excelled at. Once he tired of that, we all went out and tossed a football around that he had found in Emmett's room. I was exhausted by the time we came in.

My sleep was interrupted every night with nightmares. Edward tried to keep me calm, but I knew that he was worried. I would be glad when the whole James thing was over. I couldn't deal with the possibility of someone I loved getting hurt or worse. I sat down in front of the TV while everyone else went to play video games.

I fell asleep pretty quickly, my dreams hitting me immediately. When I awoke, my head was pounding and my brow sweaty. I stretched, sitting up and looking around. I could see that the sun was close to setting, the only light in the living room was the TV.

I heard muffled laughter coming from Jake's room, so I peeked in. Jasper and Jake were playing a game while Alice was sitting on the bed flipping through a magazine.

I frowned when I didn't see Edward and I pulled out my phone to see if I missed his call. Nothing.

Jasper paused the game. "Eddie's not back yet?" His brow was furrowed.

"No," I shook my head, calling Edward's cell phone. "…straight to voicemail…" I mumbled and Alice's head shot up. "Why would he turn his phone off?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

"He was in an interview, so maybe he just forgot to turn it back on," Jasper shrugged, but I could tell he wasn't buying it either. Something was just off.

"Maybe, but wouldn't he be back by now?" Alice asked, getting up off the bed. She walked into the living room and peered out the window. "Bells…Jazz…" She whispered. "The truck is here."

I bolted for the door. "Bells, wait!" Jasper cried, grabbing me around the waist. Just as I reached for the door knob, the power went out and Jake screamed from the other room.

EPOV

The interview went really well. I was feeling pretty positive about how things went as I began my way back home.

Home. I felt the goofy grin spread over my face before I could stop it. I was well aware that Bella and I weren't perfect, but we were perfect together. I couldn't find a nervous fiber in me when I thought of my plans to move.

If Volterra Marketing made me an offer, I would definitely take it. Marcus Volterra had owned the small company in Tampa for ten years. I liked the guy instantly. He was laid back with an intense intelligence that hummed beneath his sarcastic demeanor. The fact that I would be in marketing more than advertising was just enough change for me to really think that I was leaving my old self in Chicago completely.

I pulled into the driveway, movement in the rearview mirror catching my attention, but when I looked, there was nothing there. I opened the door and looked down the street each way. I didn't see anything different than when I had left a few hours before.

I looked back to the house and felt a sharp pain to my head and everything went black.

BPOV

"Jake!" We all gasped, running almost blindly into his room. Jasper snatched up one of the flashlights left out from the hurricane and shined it into the room.

Jake was gripping the comforter of the bed, shaking. The lights going out had scared him. "Jake, buddy," I waved him to me and he ran into my arms. "It's ok," I hugged him, but my words didn't sound believable. I wanted to know where Edward was and I wanted to know immediately. "Turn out the flashlight, Jazz," I snapped. "Ali, take Jake." I handed him over to her and walked to every window, looking around for movement.

When I got to the French doors of my room, Jasper stopped me. "Don't," he gripped my arm. "It's open, look," he pointed and I could see the curtain billowing in the warm breeze. When the curtain flipped just right, I could see Edward's legs on the deck. "Edward," I gasped. Jasper couldn't hold me and I flew out the door. I heard him tell Alice to stay inside and call the police.

Edward wasn't moving. He had removed his jacket at some point, but his tie was wrinkled like someone had been gripping it. I knelt down beside him, Jasper with me. My brother checked for a pulse and sighed in relief when he apparently found one. "Yo, Eddie," he tapped his leg.

A sob escaped me as I looked at Edward. I touched his face, but he still wouldn't wake up. "Edward," I kissed his head. "Please, baby," I brushed his hair away from his face.

We were so worried about Edward that Jasper and I weren't paying attention to anything around us. When my ponytail was tugged hard, I felt myself being lifted up to my feet. "That pretty thing of yours won't have much to say for a while, Bella," James sneered in my ear. I felt something cold and sharp at the skin of my throat. "Don't move, big brother," he barked at Jasper, poking my neck with the knife. "It would be a huge mistake…see, I'm not alone…" he pointed towards the sliding glass doors we had exited and Phil was holding Alice the same way James was holding me. Jake wasn't with them.

"Phil?" I asked, getting poked again.

"Oh Bella," James licked my neck and I wanted to gag. He whispered in my ear, "It's amazing what loyalties you can earn when you bail someone out of jail…right Phil, _buddy_?"

Phil looked like he was going to be sick. He was shaking and slightly green in pallor. For a split second, I wondered if it wasn't the bail, but the drugs that James was bribing him with. I looked at Alice's face, expecting tears, but she was pissed. She brought her elbow up just slightly and I shook my head. She stopped and nodded once.

We joked a lot about the boys teaching us defense, but as small as Alice and I were back then, they were terrified something would happen when they weren't with us. They really did make us learn. Phil would have been the weakest target in this whole thing. I almost felt sorry for him. Alice was stronger than she looked.

Jasper's face was pure rage and conflict as he looked between us. He looked down at Edward and I could see him wishing he would wake up. Jasper would never be able to pick between us without one of us getting hurt.

"What do you want, James?" I sneered looking from Phil and Alice and back to James' face out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh…a little of this…a little of that…" He laughed, tugging my hair a little harder. "I lost my job, Bells…that big fucking mouth of yours still got me in trouble. Some bitch overheard our conversation and well…there you go." He laughed humorlessly. "You ruined my life, bitch!" I inhaled sharply as I felt the knife nick my skin. Jasper flinched from where he was.

"I'm behind on child support," he continued. "They've issued a warrant for my arrest. Can you believe that shit?" He was practically screaming. "Someone explain to me how I'm supposed to pay it back _from fucking jail, huh?_!"

"I don't know, James, but I'll help you, just let us go," I breathed. At this point, I just wanted him anywhere but next to me and I wanted Edward awake.

"I don't want your fucking help!" He yelled at me, his hot breath on my cheek. He smelled like beer and tobacco. He brought his knee up to my lower back and I cried out.

"Fuck, James," I cried, tears of pain leaking down my face. He let me bend over to try and breathe, but he still had a grip on my hair. Alice cried out and Jasper twitched, stopping himself to look back and forth between us.

"Damn, James," Phil whined from the doorway. "You said you wouldn't hurt her."

"Yeah?" He asked. "Well, I fucking lied, asshole. What a miserable girlfriend you made, Bells," he whispered. "So fucking cold you were…" The hand with the knife cupped my breast hard and I couldn't take it anymore. I looked up at Alice and nodded. Her face flickered a tiny smile. She knew she could handle Phil.

"Yeah, James, and you were a prince," I sneered, bringing my elbow up and back into his stomach with all that I had. It was then that I saw the flash of movement from the deck. Jasper launched towards Alice and Edward shot up from the deck, tackling James as I bolted out of the way.

Jasper and Phil landed in the grass with grunts from the both of them. Edward was firmly planted on James' chest, holding his throat with one hand and pummeling his face with another. Edward had surprised him, so the knife clattered to the deck floor in front of me.

"Everyone freeze," I heard from behind me. I turned to see the police move into the yard.

Jasper and Edward froze in mid-punch, looking up from their positions. Police swarmed the yard, taking Edward and Jasper down to the ground as well as Phil and James. "Wait!" I yelled, getting caught by the arm by a female police officer. I turned to look at her.

Alice ran up to us and we both were telling the story at the same time in a panic. "Stop!" The woman officer smirked. "I get it, just wait." She held up a hand to us. "Bradley," she called out. "That one and that one…let them up." She pointed to Edward and Jasper.

The large officer stood Jasper up and nodded to the cop that was holding Edward. Alice and I wasted no time. With a sob from both of us, we bolted from the officer into their arms. "Jesus," Edward whispered. "Are you ok?" I nodded into his neck as he picked me up and walked a few feet away from everything. His arms wrapped all the way around me and my legs were around his waist.

"Are you?" I pulled back looking up at him, brushing his hair from his face.

"Yeah," he kissed my forehead. "I have a hell of a headache though." He smirked, kissing my lips. "Where's Jake?"

"Shit!" I gasped, jumping down from his arms. "Jake!" I cried, running into the house. "Buddy, where are you?"

"Right here, Miss Bella," he ran to me from my closet. Alice's cell phone was gripped in his hand. "Miss Alice hid me in there…" He pointed behind him. I scooped him up, planting kisses on his neck. "Stop!" He laughed, "That tickles!"

"Did you call the police?" I asked, setting him down, but kneeling in front of him.

"Yeah," he nodded, "Miss Alice told me to." He looked me over. "Miss Bella, you're bleeding!"

"Where?" I heard Edward behind me. He stood me up, turning me around. "He must have nicked you with that knife," he frowned, tilting my head gently. "There's an EMT outside, love, let them look at it."

"You too," I said, pointing to his hand.

"Jake, come here," Edward held his hand out. He picked him up and tossed him up on his shoulders after we were outside.

The EMTs were already cleaning Jasper's hand and a cut above his eyebrow. "You ok?" I asked, as they made me sit beside him and look at my neck.

"Yeah," he smiled, damn proud of himself. I just shook my head.

"Edward," Alice snapped, "give me Jake and have them look at you!" Her hands were on her hips. He flinched, taking Jake down to the ground.

"Ok, ok," he sighed. Only Alice could bully him around that way and she was half her brother's size. Jasper and I chuckled at his furrowed brow.

Jake ran to her as she mumbled, "…knocked out…scared the shit out of all of us…" She took her phone from Jake.

"I'm fine, Ali," he groaned, flinching when a lady paramedic touched the lump on the back of his head.

"Mmhm," the paramedic smirked at him. "Fine, indeed. How long were you out?"

He shrugged, giving me and Jasper a hard look for our smiles. "I don't know," he mumbled as she flicked the flashlight into his eyes.

I was finished with just a band aid on my neck before Jasper and Edward were even close to being done, so the female officer from before took me aside to ask questions. Officer Lawton was a bigger woman with dark hair, however I wondered if it was the unflattering uniform that did it. She took the report and showed me the cars where James and Phil were sitting in the back under arrest. Both of them looked terrible with blood all over their faces.

"Apparently, you aren't the only girl he's done this to…" she sneered at him, slamming the car door in his face. "There's a young girl in Sarasota…"

"Oh, hell," I sighed, shaking my head. "Let me guess…she's nineteen?"

"Yeah," Office Lawton nodded. "She's a real mess…he stalked her and set her car on fire."

"Bastard," I growled. "Did he follow us here?"

"Yup," she nodded, looking at him through the car window. "He's wanted in about four counties, so he won't be getting out any time soon." She smiled at the thought.

"And Phil?" I asked, pointing to the other car.

"He's just an idiot," she snorted. "He followed James with the hopes of scoring drugs."

"I knew it," I shook my head. "He looks sick…"

"He'll hit withdrawals soon," she looked up at him. "Officer Bradley found needles on him…heroin. Those guys could have really hurt you…" She eyed me slyly.

"They didn't," I sighed, looking over at the ambulance at my brother and Edward. They were getting their hands wrapped.

"Those two were giving a hell of a beat down when we got here," she chuckled.

I laughed, turning back to her. "They've been doing that for me and Alice our whole lives," I shook my head. "Brothers…" I smiled, telling her which brother belonged to me and which to Alice.

"Twins? Really?" She smiled, her brow furrowed. "Huh, they don't look it…"

"No, well, they did a little when we were twelve, but not anymore. Thank you for everything," I smiled, holding my hand out. "I want to check on them."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "And I don't blame you…good luck."

I walked back to the ambulance just in time to hear the paramedic scolding Edward. "I'd tell you to come down to the hospital, but you look just stubborn enough to ignore me, so I won't." He smiled, looking down at his feet and shaking his head, a reddish tint to his cheeks. "So…ice pack on that melon of yours, ok?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled.

"'Ma'am'…listen to him…handsome _and _manners…" She scoffed, winking at him. "Are there more of you?" I giggled, shaking my head at her.

"No, thank God!" Alice laughed.

"Like we could handle another one," I smiled. "Put me in an early grave…"

Edward was in full on blush at this point and stood. "Ha Ha," he snorted at us, but unable to help himself, he turned to the paramedic and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Lancelot," she laughed, patting his back. "Ice…now!" She laughed, pointing to the house.

He nodded and smirked, afraid to say anything else to her. "Come on, baby," I giggled, taking his hand. "Let's make you an ice pack." I turned to Jake. "You, little man…bath tub."

"Aw, Miss Bella," he whined. "I wanted to stay up."

"We'll see," I sighed, my frustration with the whole day hitting me pretty hard.

All the police left, leaving us to a quiet dark house. Jasper took a flashlight to the breaker box and flipped the main switch on. "Phil must have shut it off when he was inside," he frowned.

"Whatever," I sighed, pulling the ice out of the freezer. "You two," I pointed to my brother and Edward, "couch…living room. Jasper, do you need ice too?"

"Yes," Alice frowned at the same time he said, "No."

"Thanks, Ali," I smiled. Jasper grumbled into the living room. I pulled out two bags and filled them halfway with ice, wrapping them in two towels. I pulled in a deep breath, looking up at Alice. "Thanks for Jake," I breathed. She nodded, taking the packs from me and setting them down. She reached into the fridge for four beers, cracking two open and handing me one. "Thanks," I sighed, touching my bottle to hers.

She took the beers and I took the ice packs into the living room. Jake was watching TV sitting on the floor. "Jake, please," I begged, "bath, now."

"Ok," he groaned, bolting from the room.

Jasper was laying on the love seat and Edward on the sofa. They both looked worn out, like they had been through a war. Alice handed each of them a beer and I set an ice pack on Jasper's chest, walking over to Edward. "Here, baby," I sighed. He sat up, looking at me. I sat down behind him, pulling him back to my chest. "Where is it?" I asked, looking at his head. His hand reached up to point to the knot. I bent down to kiss it before setting the ice pack on it.

Jasper flipped through channels for a few minutes, but there was an uncomfortable silence in the room. He finally shut off the TV and looked up. "Is everyone alright?" He sat up, setting the ice pack on the floor.

I wasn't. I looked at the top of Edward's head and thought about how close I came to losing him. James could have killed him. I wanted to say that, but I didn't. I just said, "James was wanted in four counties." My voice was barely a whisper. "I wasn't the only girl he did this to…he set the Sarasota girl's car on fire." Edward sat up, taking the ice pack off. He looked at me worriedly.

"For real?" Jasper growled. "The girl that Emmett caught him with?" I nodded, not looking away from Edward.

"And Phil…he only went along because James had promised him heroin," I sighed, finally looking away to the sound of the bathroom door opening. "Jake, come tell everyone goodnight, buddy."

He padded into the room in his Batman pajamas, looking too cute for words. His hair was damp and he smelled like soap. "Night," he smiled as I got up, taking his hand.

"Goodnight, Jake," they all said in unison.

I walked him into his room, pulling back the covers. "You know, we're right in the next room and Mr. Jasper and Miss Alice are at the end of the hall." He nodded and jumped up in the bed. I pulled the covers up to his chin. "Do you want a light on?" I asked, kissing his forehead.

"No, I'm ok," he yawned.

"Ok, buddy," I smiled. "You were the hero today, did you know?" I winked at him. He beamed, making me laugh lightly. "Get some sleep," I kissed him again. "I'll make pancakes in the morning."

"Sweet!" He giggled and I laughed with him. He grabbed my face, "Will Mr. Edward teach me another song tomorrow?" He whispered, the light in his eyes was so hopeful.

"I'll ask him," I whispered back. "Any other requests?" He shook his head no emphatically. "Ok, sleep!" I got up, turning off the light, but leaving the door cracked open.

I walked back into the living room. I knew that they were talking about me, worried about me, but I didn't acknowledge it. I took my seat next to Edward.

"How's he doing?" Edward asked, pointing back towards the hall.

"Fine," I nodded. "He wants another piano lesson, Mr. Edward." I smiled up at him. Alice and Jasper laughed from the love seat.

He chuckled, nodding. "Ok, no problem." He reached up to touch my neck and then my face. "What about you? How are you doing?" His face was serious. I got lost in his eyes for a moment. I reached up to take his hand from my face, squeezing it with all that I had. I was shaking with the need to touch him, make sure that he was alright. He squeezed back and let me grip him.

"With which part?" I snorted humorlessly, looking away from them all. "The knife to my throat and to Alice's throat…the large amount of stupidity for dating James in the first place…the fear I saw in my brother's eyes when he knew he couldn't choose…when you wouldn't wake up…" That last statement was my breaking point. Tears flowed down my face. "Or how about the fact that Jake was here for this shit all over again…" I closed my eyes, causing more tears to fall. I felt them being wiped away. I opened my eyes. "So, which part?"

"How about the kick ass elbows you and Ali threw?" Jasper chuckled, his eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," Edward smirked, "we're so proud." He put a hand over his heart.

Alice and I looked at each other, a sniffly laugh coming from me. "Yeah, that felt good," I nodded, wiping my face with the back of my hand.

"Yeah, it really did," Alice giggled. "Who knew all those lessons would finally fucking pay off?" I laughed openly then, feeling Edward's lips to my forehead.

"How long were you awake?" Alice asked her brother.

"Um, about the time James hurt Bella," he frowned. "Jasper told me to wait."

"Yeah," Jasper sighed. "I wanted to wait for the right time. You two were great," he snorted. He stood up, grabbing his ice pack off the floor. "I'm just glad everyone's ok," he smiled, walking over and kissing the top of my head. He held his hand out for Alice and she took it. "Night, guys."

"Night," we both mumbled.

Edward faced me on the couch and I couldn't resist touching his face. "How's your head?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"I'll live," he shrugged, reaching up to brush a stray hair from my face. That statement brought the tears again. "Baby, don't cry," he breathed, cupping my face and pressing his forehead to mine.

"I was so scared you wouldn't wake up," I sobbed, feeling myself being pulled closer.

"It's over, love," he whispered, wiping my tears away and kissing my lips. "Besides, I have a _really_ hard head."

I collapsed into the crook of his neck with a small laugh and sob at the same time. I fisted his shirt as he rubbed my back. When his hands reached my lower back, I hissed in pain.

"Let me see," he frowned, lifting the back of my shirt. "It'll be bruised in the morning…come with me." He didn't give me a choice. He picked me up and carried me from the room. He walked me into the bathroom, setting me on the side of the tub and turning on the water.

As the warm water filled the tub, he knelt before me, pulling my shirt over my head. He leaned forward, kissing the band aid on my neck. I reached up, loosening his tie and sliding it from around his neck and tossing it next to my shirt on the floor. He made me stand, sliding my shorts down to the floor and holding me as I stepped out of them.

"Get in," he smiled, "I'll be right back." I nodded, watching him walk from the room.

I stepped in, groaning as the warmth hit my sore back. Edward walked back in with our beers and two backups. "Reinforcements," he smirked, handing them to me. He had unbuttoned his shirt and it hung open, his chest showing deliciously right down the middle.

He undressed and I sat forward to let him sit behind me. "Your hand," I pointed. He stopped, unwrapped it and tossed the bandage in the garbage.

"You did a better job last time," he snickered, settling himself behind me and pulling my back to his chest.

"Thanks," I smiled, laying my head back to his shoulder. I felt him kiss my head. "I love you," I whispered. His arms snaked around me gently, his hands just under my breasts. I looked down at the hand he had punched James with. Picking it up, I kissed each knuckle.

"I love you…more than I can tell you," he breathed, kissing just below my ear.

I turned in his arms, looking up at him. I placed a kiss right over his heart, running my hands up to his neck. With a wicked smile, I asked, "Do you want the jets on?" He nodded, smiling as I reached behind him to flip the switch. He jumped which caused me to giggle.

He pulled my legs around his waist, careful not to put any pressure on my back. He smirked at me, reaching for our beers and handing me mine. "Are we done?"

"Done with what?" I asked, confused.

"With all exes?"

"Yes," I laughed, as he touched his beer to mine and we drank. "My end anyway…you?"

"Hmm," he smiled and nodded, "I like _your end_." He squeezed my bottom, pulling me closer and his erection was trapped between us.

"I know you do," I smiled, grinding against him. I set my beer down on the side of the tub and cupped his face. It killed me that I couldn't run my fingers through his hair. "I need you to know something," I breathed, running my nose along his smoothly shaven jaw.

"Tell me," he said, running his hands from my bottom down my thighs and back up, still not touching my back.

"I can't live without you, Edward," I pressed my forehead to his, losing myself in his deep green pools. "I tried, I can't…you need to know that. Today really scared me."

"I know, love," he brought his hands to mine, bringing them up to kiss each hand. "I can't either. I'm sorry I scared you." He kissed me with desperation, his tongue diving into my mouth, savoring me. I leaned into him, grinding against him. His hands were at my bottom again, squeezing and causing me to whimper. I broke from his mouth, looking up at him.

"I need you," I whispered, a tear rolling down my face. I lifted my hips and Edward gently guided me over him. Both of us were caught in mid-breath, mouths slightly open.

It was slow and careful, neither one of us wanting to hurt the other. It was hot and sticky in the warm water and not as graceful as it would seem. There were whispers of love and need and forever. We kissed hard, languidly, chaste and sweet. Our skin was one, we were one.

"My beautiful girl," he breathed looking at me like nothing else existed. "Come for me," he groaned, slipping his hand between us and making tight circles over my nub. My breath caught and I gripped his shoulders. "Yes," he smiled, "please, love." His thumb circled over and over, causing my head to fall back. "That's my girl," his voice deep velvet against my neck. I shattered over him, gripping his shoulders and crying out his name.

My orgasm pushed him into his. He stilled my hips, coming hard, my name a prayer on his lips. We kissed again, not able to stop touching, but I broke from his mouth. "Edward," I cupped face. "As much as I would love to wrinkle up in here with you, I want you to put ice back on your head, baby."

"I love you all wrinkled," he teased, picking up my hand and kissing each finger. I laughed, but raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, ma'am," he smiled, picking me up as he stood.

He did allow me to put ice on his head and we spoke quietly late into the night. He told me about his interview and that he liked the owner. We talked about the trip to Chicago that was coming up and he was excited like a child that I was still going. We fell asleep still wrapped around each other, not willing to let any distance come between us. We had scared each other and we were healing together the best way we knew how.

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**A/N…I know…scared you for a minute. So, James is caught…yay! **

**There's still time to vote…go to my profile and vote on who will win the bet…so far Bella's winning…You're not giving Edward any credit? LOL**

**Thanks to Brits23 my beta…always there to point out the little shit I forget! Thank God! Love ya…**

**Ok, review…please, review…**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N…Voting for who you think will win the bet will end on Monday. Just FYI…not that your vote changed my mind. Heehee I knew who I wanted to win from the get go. I was just curious…**

**See you at the bottom…I want to give you some updates…**

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CHAPTER 14

BPOV

My whole body ached the next day, especially my back. I winced when I rolled in Edward's sleeping embrace. I faced him, taking in every feature.

He pulled me closer and for a moment, I thought he might be waking up. I smiled at his relaxed expression. The boy I knew reappeared when he was asleep. Except for the five o'clock shadow, his forehead smoothed over, his lips pouted, his long eyelashes rested against his skin, all making him look so much younger.

I heard Jake's laugh followed by Jasper's and knew I needed to start breakfast soon. I brushed Edward's hair from his face, smiling when his eyes opened. "Hey," I whispered.

"Hey yourself," he smiled, tangling his legs with mine. His hands glided ever so softly over my back down to my thigh, hitching it up around his hip.

Good morning," I moaned, my eyes rolling back at the feel of his arousal slipping between us. I felt his smile against the crook of my neck. When his mouth met mine, his thumb brushed across my nipple. I hissed when I arched my back.

"Oh, love, I'm sorry," he pulled back, cupping my face. "Still sore?"

"Yes, but don't stop," I groaned, pressing my forehead to his and grinding against him. He moaned, his eyes closing.

"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered, tracing my lips with his finger.

"You won't…just like this." I swiveled my hips one more time, causing him to slip just inside me.

"Yes," he breathed, pushing in all the way. I gasped and Edward's eyes were sharp on mine. He was worried he would hurt me. With a slight smile on my face, I skimmed my hands over any skin I could touch on him, resting on his ass and pulling him in more. I bit my lip as his hand snaked between us, sliding two fingers on each side of my sensitive bundle.

"Oh God," I barely breathed, gripping his neck and pulling his face back to mine. Our kisses were messy and hot, filled with whimpers and moans.

He squeezed his two fingers and my mouth broke from his. "Come, baby," he begged, dragging his teeth lightly over my shoulder and ending in a kiss. My breath caught as I tried to be quiet, my whole body pulsed. I realized that the pleasure of Edward outweighed the pain. I urged him to roll over.

"Love," he warned, his brow furrowed. I just shook my head.

"Please, baby," I begged, my breath hitching. I needed to feel him, needed to watch him. We had come so close to losing each other, the emotions in the room were still raw.

He rolled over, careful to not touch my back. Gripping my hips low, he didn't guide me up and down, but helped me grind against him. "Oh shit," he growled, his eyes rolling back. When his head flew back, I couldn't help but lean down to leave open mouthed kisses along his jaw and Adam's apple, still keeping my rhythm. He pushed me back up. "God, you feel so good," he breathed, "I can't…love…I can't live without this."

"Me either," I sighed, my head falling back when his thumb pressed me where we met. "I have to have you, baby." I watched as he shuddered under me. He was glorious when he came. His mouth hanging open slightly, his brow furrowing and then relaxing. My name falling from his lips like a prayer. God, he was stunning. I gripped him tight, coming right along with him, but he rolled me to the side. We heard Jake's laugh again closer to my door and Edward's lips crashed into mine, absorbing the sounds of my orgasm. He sucked my bottom lip hard when he twitched inside of me.

"You ok, love?" He asked, his breathing heavy.

I nodded, smiling. "I feel like a pile of goo now."

He chuckled, kissing my shoulder. "That's the best wakeup call I have ever had."

I giggled, burying my face in his neck. "I need to get up, baby," I smiled, pulling back to look at him. "How's that hard head of yours?" I asked softly, lightly running my fingers through his hair.

"Not as bad," he winced as my fingers found the bump. It was smaller, but still obviously painful.

"More ice or aspirin?" I asked, kissing his nose.

"Aspirin, but I'll get it," he smiled.

There was a loud knock on my door as we both got up, pulling on shorts and t-shirts. "Yeah?" I asked, opening the door.

Alice was grabbing Jake, mouthing, "Sorry."

"Pancake emergency, Jake?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. Edward chuckled behind me, shaking the aspirin bottle.

"Yes!" Jake beamed.

"Ok, ok," I smiled, "but you'll have to give me a few minutes, buddy." He immediately turned to Edward as he left the bedroom.

"Mr. Edward," he bounced, pulling his hand, "come play again!" Jacob was practically vibrating with excitement. He tugged on Edward until they were in front of the piano. Edward's chuckle was adorable.

"Jesus, Alice…did you share your jet fuel with him this morning?" I asked, laughing as she flipped me off.

Edward and Jasper laughed and both said, "Yes."

"You know," Alice looked at all of us, "maybe next time I will let Jake walk on in. Hmm?" She raised her eyebrow at me and then her brother.

Edward's head shot up from the piano, a smirk on his face, winking at me. Damn sexy bastard.

"Oh, pixie," I shook my head, "you wouldn't do that." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, walking towards the kitchen. "Then I would have to tell Esme why the last two years in high school…I had more of Edward's pajamas than my own." I raised my eyebrow at her. Edward and Jasper laughed.

"You wouldn't!" She gasped.

"You mean tell Esme that you and my brother would lock your door…with my stuff in there…every weekend?" She started to say something and I stopped her. "And don't tell me about the living room. Emmett snored! I might just tell Mom all of it."

We reached the kitchen and I started gathering ingredients for pancakes.

"Ok, truce," she smiled, leaning in the kitchen doorway. "But you loved it!" She whispered, still smiling.

The piano music drifted in from the other room. Edward was teaching Jake _"Mary Had a Little Lamb"._

"It was torture, Alice," I whispered back, mixing the batter. "You knew that," I smirked at her.

"Yeah," she giggled, "maybe I was hoping you two would figure it out."

"We did!" I laughed softly, "Eventually."

Jasper came in on the phone, handing it to me. "Em said he needs to hear your voice. He wants to make sure you're alright."

"Hi, big brother," I sang into the phone.

"Oh, Bells," Emmett sighed. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. How'd you find out?"

"Jazz told me," he laughed. "He was gloating last night about you and Alice and your wicked elbows. He swears he taught you." I laughed, piling pancakes on a plate. "How's Eddie? Jazz said our boy gave you guys quite the scare."

"Oh, Em," I groaned, "did he ever! But he's ok."

"Well, Esme said to tell you that you will all see Carlisle when you get back…not to bother arguing."

"Ok, I'll tell them. We'll be back in a few hours."

"Party tonight!" He boomed. "We have to celebrate James' unfortunate incarceration."

"Whatever you want, Em," I giggled. "Let me feed this crew and we'll be home soon."

"Ok, and I need to pick up supplies for Billy's house. We can get it done before he gets home."

"We can all help. We'll talk about it later," I smiled. I got the feeling Emmett was keeping me on the phone on purpose. "Em?"

"Yeah, Bells…"

"I'm ok…we all are."

"Get here soon, baby girl. I need to lay eyes on you guys…"

"Then, let us eat!" I laughed, telling him goodbye and handing the phone back to Jasper. "Come on, boys, enough musical genius. Mr. Emmett wants to see us soon." I winked at Edward. "And we have an appointment with Dr. Cullen ASAP." Edward rolled his eyes, but nodded.

We ate quickly, cleaning up just as fast. I made sure Jake packed all of his things while Jasper locked up.

I walked into my bedroom to find Edward sitting on the bed. I checked the bathroom one more time and zipped up our bag. He was still sitting there. "Did you really have more of my pajamas than your own?" He asked, smiling.

I looked at him for a moment, fighting my smile. "Bottom drawer on the right." I pointed to my dresser. He stared at me and then launched to the drawer, ripping it open.

"You can have any of the shirts back you want, except the top one." He pulled it out and it was his track t-shirt. Forks High was printed on the front and Cullen on the back. It was soft and over-washed, but he would have to fight me for it. "Oh, and the green plaid pants…you can't have those either," I laughed.

He chuckled, running his hand through his hair. "I don't want them back," he whispered. "I can't believe you kept them." He looked up at me, his face in shock.

"My only regret is they stopped smelling like you, but I still wear them every now and then…especially bad days. They were comforting. I lived in them when Charlie died." I reached down and took the t-shirt from him. I rubbed my fingers over his name and then folded it back up.

"Bring some with us," he smiled, pulling out a few shirts and pants. I snickered at him.

"Ok, baby." I took the ones he picked and packed them in our bag. "Let's go. Everyone wants to see us."

Jake wanted to ride back with us this time. Mr. Edward was now his hero, the piano lessons had changed Jake's outlook completely. "Mr. Edward," he bounced in the backseat. "I want to learn more."

"Hmm," he mused and I could see that he was thinking of a way to give Jake more lessons. He turned to me. "I have my own piano in Chicago, love," he started. "Is there room for it at the beach house?"

"I'll make room, Edward," I smiled, shaking my head. "You bring whatever you want and we will figure it out. Are you really going to teach him?"

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling crookedly. I could see he really enjoyed the thought of it.

"Sweet!" Jake danced in his seat.

"You look surprised at yourself for wanting to teach him," I noted, looking over at Edward.

"A little," he shrugged. "I've never thought about it. It always felt like I knew how to play…" He turned slightly pink at that admission. "I'll have to pick up some books for him."

"Ok," I smiled, thinking he couldn't get any cuter if he tried. "Well, there's a music store in Bradenton…so we can go there."

Emmett was pacing in the driveway when we pulled in. He met me at my door, yanking it open and pulling me in his huge arms. "Em, not so hard," I winced, my back screaming.

"Fuck, Bells," he groaned, setting me on my feet. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're ok." At that moment, I could see what Emmett and I had in common the most. We were both afraid, _terrified _of losing what family we had left. I reached up and ruffled his hair with a smile. "Esme's worse than me," he laughed, jerking his thumb towards the house.

I wasn't the only one he assaulted. He snatched Alice up, swinging her around and laughing as she squeaked. He gave one armed hugs to Edward and Jasper, telling them how much he wished he had been there. He tossed Jake up on his shoulders and called him a hero.

Esme was a mess by the time we got inside. With tears streaming down her face, she tried to hug all four of us at the same time.

"Mom," Edward smirked, "we're fine…just sore."

She didn't listen, just grabbed his hand, saying, "I don't care what you say. Your father is going to look at every last one of you." Alice and I nodded at her with wide eyes, not wanting to argue with her.

Esme pushed us all into her room to see a chuckling Carlisle. "Ladies first, I guess," he smiled at me and Alice.

"I wasn't hurt, Dad. Bells was," she said, sitting down in the chair in the corner. Edward and Jasper sat on the bed with Esme, trying to calm her down.

"What happened, Bells?" Carlisle asked, stepping over to me.

"James put his knee in my back."

"Let's see," he said softly. He lifted the back of my shirt slightly, kneeling behind me. His touch was so tender, but it still hurt. "That's a pretty nasty bruise…do your kidneys hurt?"

I shrugged, "It all hurts back there."

"Can you pee, Bells?" Jasper snickered.

I reached down and grabbed a pillow, throwing it at his head. "Shut it, Jazz," I sneered, "I hope you need an eye patch!" He laughed unapologetically. Edward just shook his head, laughing. "Yes, I can pee," I mumbled to Carlisle, feeling the blush I couldn't stop.

"Then you should be fine," Carlisle chuckled at us. "Just let me know…" He raised an eyebrow at me and I nodded. "Jasper, let me see that eye," he smiled.

I walked past Jasper, punching his arm. "Good luck, Captain Bligh!"

Esme and Edward were in hysterics as I sat with them. Alice hopped up to see what her father was going to say about my brother. "Hmm," Carlisle mused, pulling the bandage off his eyebrow. "I would have probably stitched that…"

"I like the scar…it makes me ruggedly handsome," he smirked, winking at Alice. I snorted, collapsing into Esme.

"You keep telling yourself that," Edward laughed. Jasper smiled and nodded.

"Ok, son," Carlisle said, walking to where Edward was sitting. "Tell me about you…"

"I was hit on the back of the head…I don't know how long I was out…" He sighed, frustrated with his loss of time. He flinched when Carlisle looked at the bump, running his fingers over it, and I noticed no one was joking about this injury.

"Look up at the light," Carlisle said, looking into Edward's eyes. "Now, back at me…good…again." He paused for a moment and asked, "Do you have a headache?"

"Yeah, a little, but I took aspirin," Edward nodded.

"Are you nauseous?"

"No." Edward shook his head.

"Good thing you have a hard head, son," Carlisle winked and I snorted, but laughter overtook me when Edward smirked at me with a wink.

"They're ok?" Esme asked, looking up at her husband and he nodded. "All of them?" He nodded again. "Thank God," she breathed, wrapping her arms around me.

"Thanks for believing us," Edward teased, getting a smack on the arm from Esme.

We all went down to the deck to let Jake swim and tell the story from everyone's perspective. Emmett was livid when he heard Phil was there. Rose eventually joined us, tears in her eyes when she saw us. She had known the Cullen twins for only a short period, but had accepted them immediately.

It was funny how our little group worked. Since the beginning -- since I tumbled into Edward and Alice the first day of seventh grade -- anyone we liked was accepted, but if that changed, then so did everyone else's opinion. We had worked in sync like that even up to this day, so Rose's love was returned with just as much fervor.

Esme decided that it was time for some good news. "We found a place," she smiled. We all exploded at the tables. "It's not far from here…they call it a condo, but it's more like a small house or bungalow."

"I was offered a position at a Bradenton hospital to head up the plastic surgery division of the burn ward," Carlisle smiled. "Back to trauma," he shook his head, but he looked quite proud. All of the girls kissed him, causing a slight pinkness to his face.

"Oh hell," Emmett beamed, "Now we really do have to party tonight." We all nodded. "But, what do we do with J-man?" He asked, looking up at me.

"I don't know," I sighed, watching him throw seashells at the waves. "We need to go to Billy's, right?" I asked Emmett and he nodded. "I can have Sue take him for the night." I pulled out my phone, calling Billy's sister. She was heading up to see Billy anyway and said she would be glad to take Jake with her and keep him over night. I told her just to meet us back at Billy's the next day, because we would be cleaning up and repairing the damage. Billy had got an infection and wouldn't be out until after the weekend.

"Jake," I called, waving him over. He ran over to us all, beaming like the ray of sunshine that he was. "Buddy, your Aunt Sue is going to take you to see your dad." He jumped up and down. "You're going to stay the night with her and we will see you tomorrow…you can stay the weekend with us. Your dad will be home on Monday, how cool is that?" It was all about how you put it for Jake. I knew he would be disappointed to leave me for one night, but getting his dad back would over shadow that.

"Sweet!" He beamed. My little Emmett wanna-be.

"Look what you've done!" I laughed at my brother and he gave Jake a fist bump. "Bad influence," I mumbled. "Come on, let's get your things together for the night. Sue's meeting us at your house." I grabbed his hand and helped him pack a bag.

Esme asked to come, telling me that she loved to decorate. She wanted to see if there was anything that she could do to help at Billy's house. We all changed into scrubby clothes and piled into mine and Jasper's trucks. Sue was there, waiting for us.

She was a sweet woman with russet skin and warm eyes. Her smile lit up her face just like her nephew's. "Don't take him inside," she whispered to me when she hugged me. "It's a mess."

"Ok," I nodded, pulling Jake off of Edward's shoulders. "Buddy, be good and tell your dad we love him, ok?" He nodded, tears welling up. I had been afraid of this reaction. I knelt down in front of him. "What's wrong?" I whispered.

"I don't want to leave you," he whispered, taking my face in his hands, but he looked at my brothers and Edward. "What if something happens?"

"Oh, Jake," I sighed, picking him up. "It's over now…the bad guys were taken away…remember? You were a hero!" I smiled, kissing his neck. He pushed my face from him.

"No!" He frowned. "Don't make me go," he wailed, looking up at Edward and Jasper. Edward's face was heartbroken. I could tell we were all thinking the same thing. That this whole episode with James had finally gotten to our little friend.

"Hey," Jasper frowned. "I'll need you tomorrow," he smiled. Jake's head tilted at him. "Don't you want to help me paint?" Jake nodded, sniffling. "Good, because I can't get the low parts, you'll have to show me how." I heard Alice sigh. _Yeah, make fun of the piano lesson now, Ali_, I thought. "But, you have to ask your dad what color and you have to get lots of sleep, pal. Ok?"

"Ok," he nodded. He hugged me tight and I set him down. After fist bumps to my brothers and Edward and hugs from Esme, Rose and Alice, he hopped in Sue's car and she thanked us. We told her that we would call her the next day when we were ready for him.

The house was exactly the same as the day of the attack. No one had been able to get in and with Sue's own family keeping her busy, she wasn't able to help. Emmett and Jasper walked around, explaining what they had planned. They made lists of supplies that they would need.

Esme looked at the furniture, shaking her head. "It's not fixable," she frowned. The furniture was ripped and cut in some places, shattered in others. There was blood on the carpet in the hallway that made me gag. I turned away, looking around the small living room.

"I have to make some room, Esme," I smiled, raising my eyebrow at Edward, who laughed quietly. "And I have some things in storage…want to go with me to look at it?" She smiled and nodded. "Good, you come with me…Edward, take me to Emmett's Jeep and you guys can go get the supplies in my truck. Emmett, use the business account." Emmett nodded and Edward drove us back to the beach house.

"You two _behave_," he smirked at us. We just giggled at him, knowing it was impossible.

"Whatever," I laughed and kissed him. "Take some more aspirin, please." He nodded, kissing his mother's forehead.

I watched as he pulled away, my heart hurting to see it, and I turned to my "mother". "Are you ok?" She asked, looking at me as we walked to Emmett's car. I leaned against it, trying to fight tears.

"I thought I lost him. When he wouldn't wake up…" Tears flowed that I couldn't stop. She wrapped me up and cried with me. I had needed her alone for this. I felt I had to be strong for everyone else, but Esme had always been my shoulder, my rock. "I thought I lost them all!"

Esme held me, telling me not to dwell on the past, that none of it was my fault. I didn't have to be strong for her. She had always let me explode on her and it was always in private.

When my mother would call and ruin my birthday or holiday, it was Esme that I ran to. When living with three men would drive me to the brink of insanity, Esme would take Alice and me out for the day. And when my love for Edward was eating me up inside and no one knew it, she did, taking the time to make me laugh.

Most of the time she didn't have to say anything, just being there was enough. Once our tears stopped, we were able to focus on the issue at hand. Esme was well aware of what Edward's apartment held and what he would want to bring with him. We figured out that with the removal of one chair and side table, we could manipulate the lobby to accommodate the piano. The rest would fit in the Tampa house.

We drove out to my storage unit to look through things I didn't have room for or the heart to get rid of, but knowing it was going to someone that needed it, made the decision so simple. She saw the colors and stated that she could work with it. I dropped her off at the beach house, because she was going to look for window treatments, taking a pillow from a sofa with her.

By the time I got back to Billy's the two trucks were back in the driveway filled with supplies. Alice and Rose were in lawn chairs, wearing sunglasses and open mouths. "Oh hell," I groaned, watching three shirtless, sweaty boys walk out the door to take another load into the garage. Emmett and Edward both had baseball caps on backwards.

"Please, join us," Rose smirked, gesturing to the chair beside her. "We should charge admission," she giggled, raising her eyebrow.

"God, Rose, you're so bad," I laughed, covering my face. I looked up, watching the three of them slide sheets of drywall out of my truck, Edward taking one end and Emmett the other. Jasper was pulling a roll of carpet out. "They're not strip…pers," my voice caught in my throat when Edward came back out and lifted a couple of two by fours onto his bare shoulder. I groaned when every muscle rippled as he walked inside.

"You want some one dollar bills?" Rose asked in my ear. Alice was beside herself in hysterics.

"I'm not going to 'tuck a buck' on my boyfriend," I snorted, standing up. "Not when I can get it for free," I laughed. Alice and Rose leaned into each other snorting back laughter. "Besides, isn't this backwards? Shouldn't the construction guys be whistling and yelling obscenities at us?"

"I'm sure you're right, Bells," Alice giggled, wiping a tear away.

I walked away from them, shaking my head. "Hello, boys," I smiled, walking in the house.

"Bells," my brothers called from the hallway, pulling up carpet.

"Hey, baby," Edward smiled. "Where's Mom?"

"Shopping by now," I rolled my eyes. "We have the stuff to replace all of this," I waved my hand around the living room. "She's just adding to it."

"What was so damn funny outside, Bells," Emmett asked, rolling up the old carpet and leaning it against the wall.

"Oh!" I laughed. "I think that Alice and Rose are seriously considering entering you into a Chippendale's calendar." Edward snorted, shaking his head. "Do me a favor, my big brothers…go out and drink from the hose…make a show of it, please." Emmett and Jasper grinned at each other and bolted out the doors, shoving each other along the way.

"Watch this," I laughed, pulling Edward with me.

Alice and Rose were still laughing when we all came outside. Rose waved a dollar bill at me and I snorted with laughter. Her attention was quickly snapped from me when Emmett turned on the hose, slowly drinking from it. He tipped his head back after taking off his hat, holding the hose over his head and wet his hair and face. Rose's hand with the money in it landed hard in her lap, her eyes watching beads of water roll off Emmett's skin.

Jasper took the hose from him with a smirk that Alice couldn't see, but we could and Edward and I chuckled. Jasper took his own long drink and filled his hand with water only to rub it through his hair and down his torso. Alice pulled her sunglasses down and looked over them.

"I wish I had a camera," I muttered, "look at your sister's face." Alice's jaw was about to reach her lap, it was hanging so far open.

"Yeah, but what's the dollar for?" Edward smirked at me.

"I'm supposed to tuck it on you," I laughed. "You should know women are worse than men, Edward."

"There's a scary thought," he muttered, smiling. "And just where would you put it?" He asked, putting his hands on the wall behind me and smirking down at me.

"I'm limited with options, baby," I said, biting my lip and gazing down his chest. "Is there somewhere specific you would want it?"

He was just about to answer me when we were both hit with water and I squealed. "Eddie, you looked like you needed cooling off too," Emmett laughed.

I ducked out of the way as Edward took his hat off and shook his wet hair, laughing. I retreated to the safety of the house and started to bag up garbage. Before long, we cleared the room and had it ready for the next day. Emmett was going to repair the walls and lay the carpet. The girls and I would paint. Jasper and Edward had work to do in the kitchen repairing the cabinets. We all would rent a truck and move the furniture from storage to the house.

When all the garbage was out by the road, we all sat on the floor in the empty room. "Are we still celebrating?" Jasper asked, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

"Hell yeah," Emmett smiled. "Let's grill out on the deck…maybe night swimming…"

"Don't move the jukebox," I shook my head. "I'll bring out the stereo. No more heavy lifting." Rose and Alice snorted and nodded.

"Then, let's do this," Rose smiled, standing up and reaching for Emmett.

With a quick drive back to the beach house, we showered and dressed in bathing suits and shorts. Esme and the girls helped me in the kitchen, while all the guys set up the deck and the cooler with drinks. Carlisle started the grill.

Emmett brought out my stereo, hooking my iPod to it. "What the hell, Bells?" He smirked, looking through my never ending list of songs.

"Do you mind, nosy?" I snatched it from him, looking at what he was going through. I shook my head when I saw that it was my Edward playlist. "Make a new playlist if you have to," I sneered, "or use your own iPod."

"Fine, I will!" He boomed, running off to his room and back. "No one wants to listen to classical on a celebration night anyway," he mumbled, hooking up his own player. "These should bring back memories…" He snickered, hitting play.

Apparently, I wasn't the only nostalgic one when it came to music. Emmett had a whole playlist of nothing but old songs we all loved and had danced to. He put it on low and random while we ate and the embarrassing stories began.

It all started when we tried to embarrass Emmett in front of Rose, but it didn't work. She ate it up and he would laugh through it all. "I remember the day that Ali decided not to eat ice cream in public anymore…" Emmett guffawed.

"Emmett, don't you dare!" Alice growled.

"Wait, was that…" I struggled to remember.

"Bells, please," she begged.

"What?" Edward and Rose asked.

"Alice bought an ice cream cone at lunch and was walking to class," Emmett started and Alice groaned, putting her face in her hands. "Jazz walks by, coming from gym with no shirt on and my girl runs smack into a pole…ice cream then face." The table exploded.

I tried to hold my laughter in, but couldn't. It took weeks for her to be able to look anyone in the eye after that. "Oh God, Ali," I snorted. "I felt so bad…"

"The whole senior class saw it," she growled, her face bright red. "Like you had a better day a few weeks later, Bells."

"Don't I know it," I shook my head. "Stupid Mike…" Edward's head snapped up to look at me. "I can't imagine _who_ made me wear that skirt!" I frowned, looking at Alice.

"I told you I would never do it again," she giggled. "Bells was walking upstairs to history in a long skirt…when a gust of wind came up and the skirt did too…right over Mike Newton's head, who was on the step behind her." Emmett choked and Jasper patted him on the back, both looking like they didn't want to laugh, but were failing.

"It took a whole semester for him to stop talking about my underwear," I growled. "Like he wasn't perverted enough…"

"That was why he kept telling guys he got to second base with you?" Edward growled. "Because of _that_?" His laugh was contagious. I smacked his arm and it only made him laugh harder. "What a liar! And I thought Tyler was bad."

Rose couldn't get enough stories. It was like she was trying to soak in our childhood. "Bells," she called, "who was the hardest girl to save Edward from?" Esme's head turned to me.

I looked up at Edward, trying to remember them all. I bit my lip and turned back to Rose. "There was one he didn't know about," I sighed.

"Who?" They all asked, except Alice.

"Karen Fisher," I frowned, looking over at Alice. "Remember?"

"Yeah," she nodded sadly.

"I don't remember her," Edward looked at me and then Alice.

"You wouldn't, because we never told you and she was...she was picked on by everyone…invisible. We were in…what? Ninth grade?" Alice nodded. "I've never seen someone so afraid of being _seen_," I sighed. "She wasn't pretty, wasn't taken care of at home…thick glasses, terrible skin…but, for some reason found the courage to stop Alice and me one day in the locker room. She knew Alice was your sister and knew we were friends, but had the biggest crush on you." I turned back to Rose. "It was awful…we laughed at first, but it shattered her. I never felt so bad."

"I told her Edward was with someone," Alice shook her head. "I just didn't say who. You know, after that, we wouldn't let anyone touch her. If we ever caught someone picking on her, we let them have it."

"Oh!" Jasper gasped. "I remember her! She was a genius in chemistry. Always wore pink Chuck Taylors."

"Yeah, that's her," I nodded. "You know, she thanked me at graduation?" I laughed, looking at Alice.

"What for?" Alice asked.

"For stopping Amber from humiliating her in front of the entire lunchroom…it was a few years later, junior year," I smiled. "Amber was picking on her clothes."

"Yeah, no one bothered her after that," Alice giggled. "But, then again, you just loved calling Amber out."

"Slut," I muttered, feeling Edward's chuckle in my hair.

"Damn, guys…how come you never told us that?" Emmett asked.

"It's hard enough…high school…unrequited love just makes it all the more tortured," Esme piped in. I nodded in agreement. "I'm proud of you two…I bet that was hard."

"It wasn't bad," Alice smiled. "Amber was the main bully for Karen and Bells despised Amber…so there you go." She waved her hand at me in gesture. I laughed, shaking my head.

"Why did you hate her?" Rose laughed.

"Doofus, here," I elbowed Edward and he chuckled, "decided to take her out once. And she lied about the whole night to everyone. She said they got a hotel room and stayed out all night…the things she described were disturbing. I caught it all from the bathroom stall."

"And how did you…" Esme started to ask, but maybe thought she didn't want to know. I laughed, watching her struggle with curiosity.

"Edward, what time did you show up at my house?"

"Eight," he laughed. "Jasper was there, we worked on a science project and watched a movie." Jasper nodded, smiling over at us.

"What time did you leave?" I smiled up at him.

"Midnight, my curfew," he snorted, kissing my head. I raised my eyebrow at Esme and she winked at me.

"You left Amber on a date?" Emmett asked, his mouth hanging open. "Man, you did have it bad for Bells…"

"Had I known about _you _and Amber, man…I wouldn't have ever talked to her, much less taken her to dinner," Edward laughed when Emmett flipped him off.

"But, wait…there's more," I laughed, looking over at Rose. "She not only told this elaborate lie, but then had no way to back it up. She constantly threw herself at Edward. It was pathetic."

"Why didn't you just call her on it?" Carlisle asked, smiling at me.

"We did!" I laughed. "Biggest fight I was ever in," I shook my head. "She said something to me one day and I snapped in gym class. Right in front of her friends I called her out. I told them all where he really was. She tackled me to the floor. I walked away with a split lip, but she had two dislocated fingers, a black eye and I believe a chunk of hair missing." I smiled proudly and the table exploded again.

"What the hell did she say to you?" Rose asked, laughing.

I bit my lip, frowning, but it was Alice that answered. "Amber said that the only reason that Edward and I hung out with Bells was because we felt sorry for her that she didn't have a mother." Alice's face was twisted into a snarl.

"No!" Esme gasped, but I nodded my head. "God, no wonder you beat her up." I laughed, thinking that sounded so funny coming from her.

"Ooh, good song," Emmett reached back, turning the volume up. We all laughed as Jasper and Emmett knew every word to _"Where is the Love"_ by the Black Eyed Peas. Hearing them both say, "What's wrong with the world, Momma," turning to Esme, was beyond funny.

That wasn't the only Black Eyed Peas song they knew the words to, but when Outkast's _"The Way You Move"_ came on, we all smiled, nodding our heads. Rose stood up, pulling up with her. "Come on," she laughed, "it's not Justin, but we've danced to this before."

For some reason, it got everyone up out of their chairs. Carlisle even took Esme's hand, spinning circles around us. Emmett took Rose and Edward pulled me into his arms, pressing his forehead to mine. He smiled as I wrapped my arms up around his neck and his hands went to my hips. The song was fun and over too quick.

"_Incomplete"_ by Backstreet Boys was next, shocking us all to a slow dance. I sighed, shaking my head.

"What's wrong, love?" Edward whispered.

"This song," I frowned. "I wonder how many times I listened to it on the way here from Forks."

"Oh, baby," he groaned, listening to the words. He wrapped one arm around my waist while the other hand ran through my hair. Knowing he was my favorite distraction, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me about Karen?" His head was tilted, but his face was serious.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I felt for her and we promised her. I think she would have been embarrassed if she thought you knew. Everyone made fun of her…in her way of thinking…you would have too." He frowned and I could see that he was about to protest. "I know you wouldn't have, but she didn't know you." He nodded, kissing my forehead.

The song changed again and Rose squealed. "Em, you have Justin on your iPod?" He just nodded, smiling. "Oh, now I know I love you!"

I snorted, burying my face in Edward's chest. We didn't dance to _"Rock Your Body"_, but I started cleaning up just as Carlisle said, "We're turning in, kids."

"Goodnight," I smiled, kissing them both and watching them still hold hands going upstairs. I threw the last of the trash in the garbage and gasped when another song came on. Edward had taken some dishes back to the kitchen. I looked around and Emmett and Rose were sitting in a lounge chair together. Jasper and Alice were still dancing.

"I remember this song," Edward whispered from behind me. I turned around and nodded. _"Wicked Game"_ by Chris Isaakwas playing the last time we made love before I broke up with him. His eyes were dark, his breathing a little ragged. "Dance with me," he breathed, pulling me close.

I don't know if what we were doing would be considered dancing or not. Edward's hands were fisted in my hair, his forehead pressed to mine. My hands were roaming over his skin, under his shirt. We were swaying back and forth, but our bodies were pressed so close.

"Kiss me, Edward," I breathed, remembering every touch, every smile from our last time that summer. His hands gripped my hair a little harder and his lips were on mine. A soft sound escaped from the both of us as our tongues met.

I had been desperate for his touch that night, knowing it was going to be our last time. I gave him everything, my heart, my soul, my body. I had hoped deep down that he would realize what I was doing and stop me from it all. I tried to force my thoughts into his head to make me change my mind, to not break up, to find a way to work through it. My eyes never broke from his as the song played, the same song. Tears flowed from my eyes as he made me come for what I thought was the last time.

His velvet voice brought me back as he broke from my mouth. "I committed that night to memory," he whispered, placing soft kisses to my face. I couldn't look him in the eye. "Don't, love…it's ok," he smiled, lifting my chin with his fingers. I buried my face in his neck in embarrassment and for comfort. Before the song was over, he had replayed the whole night, whispering in my ear how beautiful I had been that night, how my face had looked and how much he loved me. He told me that our last time that summer ruined him for other women, that he could only think of me no matter who he had ever been with. By the time the song ended, I was shaking.

Reading my mood perfectly, Jasper handed me a beer as we sat down, Edward pulling me on his lap. "Thanks," I smiled, still a little shaky.

Rose and Emmett joined us back at the table. They had gone swimming, so they were both wrapped in towels. We sat quietly for a few minutes, listening to the ocean and music. We were all so comfortable around each other that nothing really needed to be said, but Rose, having no family left, still continued with the questions.

"Em, how did you come to live with Bells?" She asked, looking over at him. Emmett looked wary, but tried to answer.

"Um, Charlie was chief of police," he started, but shook his head and started over. "Jasper and I have the same mother, but Jasper's father died and mine was who knows where…anyway, our mom was living with this guy, Mark…and he was cool, but had shady friends. He apparently had a gambling problem and borrowed money from the wrong people. Jazz and I were at a football game with some friends and came home to a fucked up mess…" Emmett stopped, frowning at the memory.

He stopped for a second and shook his head again. "Um…Jazz and I found mom first. It looked like she was trying to get out the back door. Mark was on the sofa in the living room. Three gunshot wounds to each. They never stood a chance. We didn't have a gun in the house." Jasper's eyes were locked on the beer bottle in front of him, a frown on his face.

"Charlie was the cop on scene," I sighed, remembering him being called out from dinner. "Forks is small, Rose, so there's not really a foster care system…so, he brought Jasper and Em home…when the whole thing was finished and the bad guys were caught, everyone was settled in and Charlie and I didn't want them to go."

"Well, we didn't have any other family," Jasper shook his head. "Charlie treated us as his own from the get go. Rules, clothes, food…he never even thought about it. We were his and that was that. Charlie was eventually made our guardian."

"I've never actually heard that whole story," Edward shaking his head. "If it weren't for the football game…"

"Yeah," Emmett snorted. "I thought about that…_a lot_. But, fate, I guess. Mom couldn't really afford us and Mark didn't work, so Charlie was the best thing that ever happened to us."

"And Bells," Rose snorted.

"Oh, hell, Bells was icing on the cake," Jasper laughed. "The minute we walked into the house she was on Emmett like white on rice!" I laughed, shaking my head.

"I had just mopped the floor!" I growled. "And he watched Charlie take his boots off outside!" Emmett laughed, nodding at Rose.

"What was hysterical to watch was Bells and Charlie," Emmett laughed. "She set all the rules in that house with no shame. When we walked in the door, she had a room ready for us, dinner, and told Charlie when he could get clean clothes and where they would be. She was ten years old!"

"And just look at you now," I laughed, "I'm so proud." I wiped a fake tear. "Charlie and I were living the quiet life until you two came along." I pointed to them. "Jasper was easy, but Emmett woke up running at full speed. That took some getting used to."

"Yeah, and add Eddie and Alice to the mix two years later," Emmett laughed. "There were kids in the house at all times."

"So, wait…Emmett, you're the oldest…" Rose clarified and he nodded. "So, when did you guys come in?" She asked Alice.

"First day of seventh grade," Alice laughed and Edward squeezed me tighter. "Bella was tripped and fell right into us." I giggled and kissed Edward's cheek.

"Em and I saw the whole thing," Jasper chuckled. "Mike Newton was a pain in the ass his whole life…he tripped Bells and she took them both out...line drive tackle into a pile of leaves." Rose's head tipped back in a laugh.

"You should have seen Ali's face when Jasper walked up after throwing Mike into a wall," I snorted, "it was priceless." Edward laughed and nodded behind me. Jasper snorted, but leaned over and kissed Alice's temple.

"It was over after that," Emmett snorted. "We went everywhere together and it was so funny, because we were all so different…but it worked."

"I think it worked _because_ we were so different," Edward snickered. "We all gave each other something we needed."

"Yeah," Alice smiled. "We're not much different now…Emmett was always hyper and getting us into trouble. Jasper was always the voice of reason. And see those two?" She snorted, pointing to me and Edward. "Always touching…betcha didn't even realize it, did you?" She raised an eyebrow at us.

I laughed, turning around to look at Edward. "No…you?"

"Uh uh," he shook his head, smirking. He picked up my hand and kissed my palm. His finger traced my lifeline over and over.

"That, right there!" Alice giggled, pointing to our hands.

"Oh!" Edward and I laughed. We both shrugged, not giving up that secret. Now that I knew Edward's reasoning behind it, I wouldn't give that up for anything.

"You're not spilling on that, are you?" Rose smirked, watching the two of us.

"He's always done it," I smiled, shrugging again and feeling his body shake with a quiet laugh. "You do realize we have a long day tomorrow, guys," I smiled, changing the subject.

"Another subject successfully changed, Bells," Alice laughed.

"Sue me," I snickered, standing and reaching for Edward's hand.

"Wait!" Emmett boomed, smiling. "A toast," he stood raising his beer and the rest of us followed suit. "To old friends…and new," he looked at Rose and kissed her quickly.

"Hear, hear," we all said, touching bottles above the table. I saw it in their eyes, all of them, the night's walk down memory lane was something they had all craved, needed. From Rose, who couldn't get enough stories, to my brothers' need to talk about Charlie, it was all just right. Even Alice and I had needed to tell the story about Karen, for as long as we had all known each other, there was always something to learn. The incident with James had scared them and they needed a way to reconnect.

I realized that I was feeling different as I walked to my room with Edward's hand in mine. For so long, I wouldn't let my brothers talk about the past. I looked up at Edward.

"What, love?" He asked, closing the door behind us.

"We should tell Rose more stories," I sighed, but smiled up to him.

"What makes you say that?" He tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

"Because, I never let Emmett before…that's why so many questions…" I frowned, biting my lip. "I couldn't bear to hear them…she deserves to hear about us now…it's only fair to my brothers."

"Ok, baby," he smiled. "Tomorrow…I promise," he smirked, shutting off the light. I squealed as he carefully picked me up and we landed on the bed, making me forget everything but him.

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**A/N…Ok, one more chapter and we head to Chicago…something I have been looking forward to since I started this story.**

**Many thanks to Brits23...without her, some of my stuff just wouldn't make any damn sense. LMAO**

**I need the reviews…come on…please? I will beg…no shame in it, really….**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N…Here we go…Chicago is right around the corner.**

**I think I needed to remind you…the whole hand touching, lifeline thing with Edward and Bella…it goes all the way back to Chapter 1 when Bella was remembering losing her virginity. But, she doesn't find out **_**why**_** he does it until he's drunk in Chapter 6...he read Alice's palm reading book when he was 15 and discovered he and Bella have the same lifeline…according to the book he read, it meant they were soul mates/best friends. They keep it to themselves.**

**According to the poll, 60% of you think Bella will win…Hmmm, we'll see.**

**Have fun…and announcements at the bottom…**

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CHAPTER 15

EPOV

I awoke to the most heavenly and shocking feeling in my groin. My eyes rolled as I tried to open them and I groaned.

"Sorry, baby," Bella smiled against my neck as her hand rubbed against my now throbbing erection. "I had to have you."

"Don't be sorry…" I started, my breath catching, my hands seeking out any part of her I could touch. "Shit, love…" Her warm hand wrapped around me as her hips ground against my thigh. "You're so wet…"

"I had a dream about you, Edward…reality is so much better," she groaned, lifting herself up to kiss me. I drank her in, fisting my hand in her hair and rolling to her. She pulled me down on top of her. Her hand never stopped rubbing against me, but her other hand shot to my hair. I moaned into her mouth, sucking her tongue.

I broke from her mouth, kissing the side of her neck. "Then let me give you what you want," I whispered against her skin. I slid down her body just a little, palming one breast and my tongue circled the nipple of her other breast.

"Mm, Edward," she moaned and her voice shot straight through to my erection, making me even harder. Her back arched up to me and her hands held my head against her.

"Turn over, love," I said softly, backing away from her slightly. She groaned when my hands left her skin.

She rolled over, the sheets and covers falling off of us. Her bare back was too much to resist in the light of the early morning that was coming in the windows. I bent down and slid my hands over her soft skin before planting them on each side of her head and licking my way up her spine. I dragged my tongue from one shoulder blade to the other, eliciting a moan from her and her hips rising up. "Edward, please," she begged and I smiled against her skin.

I sat back on my knees, gliding my hands down her sides to her hips. I pulled her up to me, teasing her with my fingers.

Touching her everywhere but where she wanted it most, I asked, "What do you want, love?"

"You…now, please," she purred, trying to push back to me.

"What part of me, baby?" I asked, knowing this was my only chance to win our bet. She owned me any other time.

"Fuck," I heard the smile in her voice, but it still came out breathy. "I knew I'd lose," she gripped the sheets at her head. Her forehead went to the pillow. I smiled, bending down to lick her lower back and kiss her where the bruise was darkest. My hands were flat against her bottom, kneading her cheeks.

"Say it, love…and I'll give you what you want," I smiled, teasing her entrance with my now excruciating arousal. I needed her soon. I needed to be inside her just as much as she wanted me to be.

She whimpered as I let my tip press against the most sensitive part of her. "Fuck me, Edward. I want your _cock_, now." I smiled, gripping her hips and lining up at her entrance. I moaned at the need in her voice.

"That's my girl," I crooned, sliding into her. "Fuck," I whispered as her breath caught. And since I won and wanted to take her out anyway, I bent to her ear and said, "You can have my cock, love, any time."

"Oh God," she breathed, sitting up on her elbows to rock back against me. I pulled her hips to me over and over, careful not to touch the bruise on her back. I bent over her, sweeping her hair aside and kissed her shoulder. I dragged my teeth across the skin of her neck, licking her, tasting her.

"You feel amazing this way, baby," I growled, my eyes rolling back as she met my rhythm. "I won't last long…you feel too good." I reached under her, palming her breast and she put her hand over mine. She squeezed hard, letting me know she needed more.

"Edward, don't stop…I'm so close."

I slipped my hand from her breast down her stomach to where we were joined. I sat back, one hand pulling her to me, guiding her over and over, while the fingers of my other hand circled her most sensitive nerve. She bucked under me, causing a groan from me.

With one more circle of my finger and a swivel to my hips, she cried out my name, shaking beneath me. "Fuck, Edward," she growled, slamming back against me.

"Bella…God," I squeezed my eyes closed, pulling her flush to me one last time. I came hard, bending over her and placing a kiss on her shoulder.

Careful of her back, I laid us down, pulling the covers back over us. She rolled to me, burying her face in my neck and I wrapped my arms around her. "Damn, I can't believe I lost," she giggled into my neck.

"All day," I laughed, kissing her forehead, "I get you naked all day."

"Yeah, that's not losing, but my pride is wounded," she giggled again. "When?"

"I don't know yet," I shrugged. "But, maybe we should be in Tampa for it," I smiled, raising my eyebrow. At the beach house, there were just too many interruptions.

She laughed and nodded, kissing my neck. "I love you…thank you."

"I love you…and what are you thanking me for?"

"For letting me wake you…" she snorted, pulling back to look at me.

"Hmm, I'm yours for the taking."

"I'm going to warn you," she smiled, "my brothers will want to start early today." I nodded, kissing her forehead. "How's your head?" She asked, her brow wrinkling as she slid her fingers ever so softly through my hair.

"Better…that didn't hurt so bad," I shrugged.

"Good," she sighed, kissing my temple

"How about you? That bruise…"

"Yeah, it's ugly…" Her nose wrinkled adorably. "It's sore…I won't lie."

"Ok, no overdoing it today," I frowned. She smiled and nodded.

A booming knock sounded at the door, making us both jump. "Eddie…Bells…let's get going," Jasper called from the hallway.

"'Kay," we both answered, getting up and heading to the shower. I made Bella stand and let the warm water hit her back, loosening the muscles. I didn't want her in pain while we worked, and I had a feeling I would be watching her carefully all day.

A groan escaped me when, as we were getting dressed, Bella walked out of the bathroom in the light blue underwear she had bought the day we went to the mall.

"What?" She asked, pulling out shorts and a t-shirt from her dresser.

"Are those…is that…" I closed my eyes, swallowing to clear my head. All I could do was point at her.

"Oh," she laughed. "You picked them, baby."

"I know," I smiled crookedly, walking to her. "What was I thinking? Knowing you are going to be in those all day…"

"I can change," she smirked, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Don't you dare!" I growled, shaking my head as she laughed at me.

"Let's go, you two!" Emmett yelled, pounding on the door. Bella jumped and giggled, pushing me away from her. She quickly pulled on her shorts and t-shirt with a raised eyebrow at me and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Here," she smiled, handing me my baseball cap. "I can't even imagine getting paint out of your hair." I took a step towards her with a growl and she squealed, tossing my hat at me and grabbing her own. Laughing, she pulled her hair through the back of it and I swear, I got hard again just looking at her. She was too adorable.

BPOV

I called Sue as we all were following each other over to Billy's house and she was waiting for us when we pulled in. "Miss Bella!" Jake beamed, running into my arms. I had missed the little guy. I was used to him being around all the time since Billy was in the hospital.

"Hey, buddy, how's your dad?" I asked, setting him back down.

"He said that he doesn't care what color paint, Mr. Jasper…and he said that he caught a 'fection and that he will be home Monday. He also wants to hear me play the piano, Mr. Edward…and he said that Miss Bella's not to go overboard…" He had been turning circles, trying to tell us everything that he was supposed to. We couldn't help but chuckle.

"God, I love that kid," Emmett mumbled, shaking his head. "Piano, huh?" Emmett teased and Jake nodded vigorously. "Ok, fine…let's teach you some other things…" He snatched Jake up, flipping him upside down. Jake squealed, turning red and laughing.

"Monday," I mused, looking at Jasper. "That gives us three days…but I have people coming in tomorrow…"

"It's all good, Bells," Jasper smiled. "It'll work out. You can stay home tomorrow. That's furniture day anyway…you can't lift anything." My eyes narrowed and I turned to look at Edward.

"You shouldn't lift anything heavy, love," he pleaded, "your back." Jasper's eyes widened at the look on my face and he walked away.

"Too late, Edward," I smirked, "I think I lifted something _heavy_ this morning." His laugh was a breathy huff, his ears turning pink. I stretched up on my toes and kissed his cheek. "But, fine," I sighed. "I won't move furniture."

"Thank you, baby," he smirked. "As for the _other _lifting…" He tried to make his face serious, but failed. "Well, as long as I supervise…" I laughed, kissing his lips quickly.

"Yes, sir," I giggled, turning to walk into the house and dragging Edward behind me.

"Wait," Jasper said, his face in shock, "you just told her not to do something and you're still standing? What the hell?" I laughed, shaking my head and grabbing the bag of paint supplies.

"It's all in how you say it, Jazz," I winked at Edward, who chuckled and shrugged at my brother.

Emmett brought the stereo and his iPod and we all got to work. Alice, Rose and I made quick work of taping off the area we were painting. Jasper, Emmett and Edward had a mini carpenter's assistant in Jake. He learned quickly, keeping most of the things they asked for in his pockets. They were bulging with screwdrivers and pliers, not to mention small boxes of screws.

"Em, do I even want to know why you have Britney Spears on your iPod?" Rose asked, turning around with the paint roller in her hand. She raised an eyebrow at him and he just laughed and shrugged.

"'Cause I'm a womanizer, babe," he chuckled. Alice and I fell into each other laughing. Jasper and Edward cracked up from under the kitchen cabinets.

"Idiot," Rose mumbled, "he's lucky he's cute." I snorted, shaking my head. She turned to me. "Was he?" She asked, laughing.

"I cannot answer that without sounding biased, Rose," I laughed. "He dated Amber…my feelings on that subject have been made public." Edward chuckled from the kitchen. "Ask Jasper or Edward."

"Damn," I heard them groan from the other room. "Screw it," Jasper added. "Yeah, he was," he laughed.

"I wasn't!" Emmett growled. "Not really…maybe slightly man whore-ish…"

"Liar," Edward coughed, laughing.

"Rosie, I love you!" He called the last thing out sweetly. She just snorted at him.

"Ok, so in reality," Alice snickered. "Em was a jock…so, yeah…a little…but, he wasn't too bad…_except for Amber_," she growled to him. "Lying bitch," she frowned and then smiled up at us as we busted out laughing.

"I bet you guys would just _love _to know where Amber is these days…" Rose smirked. "Like is she a greeter at Wal-Mart…or stripping in Seattle…or living in a trailer with four kids all with different daddies…" Alice and I nodded, smiling wickedly.

"That's some Jerry Springer shit right there!" Alice beamed. "I vote the last thing."

"I don't know," I mused, staring off into space. "Wal-Mart greeter sounds excellent…she was such a bitch about other people's social standing, but stripping…nah, she had cellulite at seventeen."

"Oh yeah!" Alice laughed. "Which you were quick to point out one day…in her best interest, of course."

"Of course," I laughed.

"You ladies are cruel," Jasper laughed loudly from the other room.

"You should hear what we say about you guys," Alice giggled.

"What?" They all poured in from different directions.

"Like we'd tell you!" I scoffed, adding paint to my brush.

"We can't reveal all things to you. We have to keep you guessing," Rose laughed.

"You know, that's why we don't stand an ice cube's chance in hell of knowing what we're doing," Emmett scoffed. "Come on, babe, just one thing?"

"One secret," Edward smirked.

"Anything," Jasper added.

They all moved in on us and I held up my paint brush. "Stop, right there," I laughed. "Why should we? First of all, Alice and I have been keeping secrets since we were twelve and have no intention of stopping…Rose has been added into that secret union…What do we get if we give up something?"

"Yeah," Rose and Alice agreed, standing beside me with their own paint filled weapons.

"We'll give up our own secret," Emmett smiled. Edward and Jasper nodded beside him.

I looked up at Rose and over to Alice. "Is this a general women's secret or an individual secret we have to reveal?"

They looked at each other for a second. I saw it on their faces that they couldn't decide. "General," they all said.

"Do you want to ask the question or let us give you some random fact?" Rose asked, snickering. "And by the way, this will go both ways…" she motioned between the boys and the girls. I could hear the TV on in Jake's room and was suddenly glad he was bored with us.

"We'll ask the question," Emmett answered, folding his arms over his chest.

"Fine…go get your question together," I waved them off with a laugh, watching them walk into the kitchen. "Ok, what are we asking them?"

"How about…how do they walk around with something between their legs all day?" Alice blurted out with a scrunched up face.

"Alice!" I gasped, laughing.

"Seriously," Rose snorted, "like, how do they run?"

"Is that really what you want to ask?" I looked between the two of them and they nodded. "Whatever…that's all you…" I waved them away.

The boys came back in, looking quite proud of themselves. "Ready?" Emmett asked, crossing his arms across his chest again.

"Yeah…they are…" I shook my head. "I want it noted that I don't care about the answer to this question…" I chuckled, sitting down on the floor with a wince. My back was sore.

"Love, are you ok?" Edward knelt down in front of me. The look of concern on his face overrode any curiosity that our current conversation had.

"Yes," I nodded. "Brace yourself for this," I rolled my eyes. He chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"Ladies first," Jasper smiled, gesturing to us and I groaned.

"Ok, we wanted to know how you walk around all day with something between your legs…isn't it distracting?" Rose laughed.

"Yes," they all answered, snickering. I just scoffed, shaking my head.

"But don't you sweat?" Alice asked.

"Yes," they laughed again. Edward was still kneeling in front of me and I snorted at his face. It was amusement and disgust at the same time.

"But, wouldn't it stick…"

"Yes!" Emmett nodded, frowning and Jasper snorted. Edward huffed a laugh, looking away from us all.

"Ew," I groaned, covering my face. "That means you have to _un-stick _it," I shook my head. They all laughed. "This is way more info than I wanted," I mumbled and Edward chuckled.

"But, how do you run?" Rose asked, her gorgeous head tilting and trying to imagine it. With that question, I lost it, falling over on the floor laughing. The fact that Edward was on the track team was not lost between us and he chuckled at my reaction.

"Just like you do, babe," Emmett laughed, "only faster."

"It's not a third leg!" Rose scoffed.

"Mine is," Emmett countered.

"Aw, that's just wrong," I scowled from the floor. "Enough…guys ask your question so we can get back to work!"

"We wanted to know," Emmett started, "if women really fake orgasms."

I laughed, looking up at the three of them. "Is this something you guys worry about?"

They all shifted on their feet, looking away from us. I looked up at Rose and she was fighting her smile. Alice looked confused, shaking her head at them.

"We can…we are _able_ to," I answered, looking up at Edward, who didn't look pleased.

"What?" Jasper gasped. "For real?"

"Yes," Rose laughed. "For real. Sometimes it's necessary…sometimes it's just bad enough…" I laughed, it was hard not to. Were we really having this conversation?

"But, how…" Jasper started and stopped himself at the look coming from Alice.

"Do you _really_ need an anatomy lesson?" Alice asked, her face clearly showing that she wasn't answering that question.

"Yeah, but…" Emmett started. "Have you…I mean…"

"These were supposed to be general questions…" I laughed. "Rose, don't answer that." I tried to stand, but groaned in pain.

"Here, love," Edward frowned, offering me his hand to help me up.

"Thanks," I sighed. "We should get back to work."

"Wait," Jasper growled. "I wanna know."

I stopped, looking around the room. "Fine!" I snapped. "Rose, who was the last fake one?"

"Joe Peters…the guy I saw before Emmett," she smiled, folding her arms across her chest.

"Ali?" I asked, picking up my paint brush.

"Never, actually," she laughed.

"And you, love?" Edward whispered.

"The jackass that gave me this backache…now, please…" I laughed. "James was…just…ugh!" I shuddered. Edward smiled, kissing my head. I looked up at him and he looked relieved. There was no faking orgasms with Edward, his voice alone could send me over the edge. I looked around to my brothers…this really was something that they had concerned themselves with. I just shook my head.

I checked on Jake and he had fallen asleep in his own bed, watching TV. I closed his door so that we wouldn't disturb him.

With the six of us working, the painting and the kitchen were done sooner than I thought it would take. Emmett wanted to lay the carpet so we all stepped out for a moment. I checked my phone and saw that I had a few messages.

One was from the school, telling me about a teacher's meeting close to the end of the month. The next was Officer Lawton that was at my house the night James broke in, explaining to me why they were transferring James to another county for court. He was answering for another stalking case.

I checked my schedule on my phone and saw that the trip to Chicago would cut really close to when I needed to be back for my meeting. "Edward," I called and he came outside.

"What's up?"

"I know you really wanted to drive back from Chicago, but I can't…I have a teacher's meeting I need to be back for," I looked up at him expecting disappointment, but he shrugged.

"Ok, so we fly back," he smiled. "I'll transport my car…like Ali wanted anyway. As long as you can still go…"

"Yes," I smiled up at him. "I just have to be back for that Monday meeting."

"Sure, love," he kissed me softly. "We'll re-do the plan…leave Friday, come back Sunday."

"And so begins real life, baby," I snickered, sitting down in a lawn chair. "Are you ready?"

"More than I can explain," he sighed, smiling.

Esme pulled up in Emmett's Jeep, the back full of bags and fabric. "Bella, I changed my mind," she smiled. "We'll cover the sofas."

"Whatever you want," I laughed, "but we haven't gone to get them and I've been banned from _lifting heavy objects_." I watched Edward chuckle and kiss his mother's cheek.

"As well you should be," she frowned. "I imagine you're in pain, sweetie." I nodded and sighed. "Well, sit for a minute." She walked in with Edward and Rose turned to me.

"Do I want to know about the heavy objects you just made Edward blush with?" She asked, laughing.

"No," I snorted. "Well, you _do_…but I'm not telling you!" I laughed.

Alice came out on her phone, her face smiling bigger than I have ever seen. She ended her call and squealed. "I got an interview with Nordstrom's!" She jumped up and down, her phone in her hand. Everyone came out to see what she was making so much noise for.

"Nice, Ali," I smiled. "What for?"

"Personal shopper."

"Well, hell, you've been mine for years," I laughed. "Should I pay you now?"

"Never," she smiled. "You were a fine student."

"Thank you," I snorted. "When's the interview?"

"Tomorrow."

Jake peeked his head out the door to see what all the fuss was about. His spiky hair was everywhere, showing the signs of his nap. He still looked tired. Without a word, he climbed up in my lap. "You look tired, buddy," I ran my hands through his hair. "Didn't you sleep last night?"

"Yeah," he yawned. "Bad dreams," he sighed and curled to my chest, straddling his legs over mine. He was asleep before I could ask him about his dreams.

Edward knelt beside us, smiling. "He's out," he whispered. "Are you ok holding him?"

"Yeah, apparently, he had nightmares." I rubbed Jake's back. Edward frowned and nodded.

"Love, we're going to go get the furniture, you girls stay here, ok?"

"Ok, baby," I smiled, happy we were getting Billy's house done quicker than I thought. "Esme knows what's coming." He nodded and bent to kiss me.

"Who's working the bar tonight?" I asked, looking at my brothers and Edward.

"Not you," Jasper frowned. "Don't even think about it."

"Eddie and I can do it," Emmett smiled. "Seth's off this weekend."

I was too tired and sore to argue. I just nodded at all of them and watched as they got in my truck and Jasper's SUV. Jake twitched in my arms and I pulled him close, holding him like a teddy bear.

"He's having bad dreams?" Alice asked, frowning. I nodded. "Maybe when Billy gets home they won't be so bad."

"I hope so." I looked over at her and asked, "How are the wedding plans coming? I have been out of it lately…"

"Good, we're looking at October and Jasper's already cleared the calendar for the beach house," she smiled. "And it's going to be a true beach wedding."

"So much for the formal thing Esme always planned," I laughed.

"Did Esme always have a scrapbook for you guys?" Rose asked, snickering.

"Yeah," we laughed. I added, "She started when we were fourteen…every idea that we had went into that scrapbook. Esme has been pulling for me and Edward forever," I shook my head.

"Did she know?" Rose laughed.

"Better than we did," I smiled and Alice nodded. "She said that she thought the room would catch on fire the last year of high school."

"You didn't see how they looked at each other when they each weren't looking," Alice giggled. "Edward's fists would clench…Bella's eyes would glaze over, it was hysterical, but sad…they were so convinced they shouldn't change things."

"You never said anything!" I gasped.

"I did, you didn't listen," she laughed.

We spent the next hour going over wedding plans and what she wanted me to do with the beach house for the wedding. Alice and Esme still wanted to try and make the wedding as formal as possible while still standing in the sand of the beach. We were going to clear out the bar and use that area for the reception.

"Oh…" Rose laughed, watching the two trucks pull in. "What about your bachelorette party? I could get some more ones!" She laughed wickedly.

Alice's nose wrinkled, but she snorted in laughter.

"I could hire a male stripper," I laughed, "maybe a construction worker." Alice's face was in horror as the boys heard that last comment.

"You wouldn't!" Jasper gasped.

"What we do is none of your concern," Rose huffed. "Just like where you go…" She raised her eyebrow at all of them.

"A stripper?" Esme laughed, but her intrigue was all over her face. Edward and Alice groaned.

"Ok, ok," I sighed. "Apparently, this discussion is for later." I snorted and turned to Rose. "Today is a bad day for the boys' egos…let's let it go." They all scoffed, walking into the house.

"For now," she laughed.

The furniture was unloaded without any problems. Esme had bought perfect covers for them, matching it all with sweet curtains. She had such a talent for decorating. Once most of it was finished, I could see that she had kept in mind the fact that it was two males living there. The colors were masculine without being overbearing, using khaki as the main color with a few accents of navy blue.

Esme also wanted to keep Jake for the evening. She and Carlisle had grown quite attached to him and since they were leaving Monday to start their move, she wanted to spend time with him. Jake was excited, finding out he was being taken to the video store. Esme loved it, calling it grandparent practice, which made us all laugh nervously.

I plopped down on the bed with a groan when we got back to our room. I flipped on the TV as Edward got ready to go to work in the bar.

"It's a long day for you and Emmett," I noted, watching him pull a t-shirt over his head after his shower. He smiled sweetly, sitting next to me on the bed. I reached up and straightened his hair the best I could as it was still a little damp.

"Yeah, but it's ok," he shrugged. "I've worked long hours before." I nodded, frowning. "What, love?"

"I don't know," I sighed, shrugging. "I wonder…you said something when you first got here…if I'm burning out, because there's a part of me…maybe it's time to streamline things, but I don't want to stop teaching."

"I would understand if you did, love," he nodded. "We'll do whatever you want. Close the inn…close the bar…give it all to your brothers, but don't make a rash decision." He picked up my hand, tracing my palm. "I think you're tired and still a little overwhelmed with what happened with James."

"Maybe," I nodded. "I feel…and don't take this the wrong way…guilty that you're working _for_ me. I'm not pushing, but…" I giggled and he smiled, nodding for me to continue. "Do you even like it?" I snickered.

"Yeah," he smiled my favorite crooked smile. "But for reasons you may not think." I looked up into his eyes and they were sparkling green, filling with happiness and love. "I like it because I know if the situation was reversed, you and your brothers would do the same for me and Alice." He bent to kiss my nose. "Would I like more time with you? Absolutely. Would I prefer that you slow down? Only if it's truly what you want. Am I willing to pour a few beers to be with you? Hell, yes. But, Bella, if you decided this is how it would continue to be for the rest of our lives…I'm in. Ok?"

"Ok," I nodded, my voice barely there. I'm sure my mouth was hanging open. My heart was in my throat. Suddenly, things didn't seem like such a big deal.

"Are you coming to sit with me?" He asked, his head tilting.

"Yeah, as soon as Rose gets back," I smiled, trying to will my still pounding heart to slow down. "Jazz and Ali were going out…actually, I think he was showing her the easiest way to her interview." I smirked up at him. "Besides, I can't leave you alone with the Friday night women."

"Precisely," he laughed, pulling me onto his lap, always careful of my back. "This conversation isn't over. Just on hold, love. And you should talk to Emmett and Jasper…see what they think." I nodded, kissing his cheek.

"You smell good," I sighed, burying my face in his neck. He carefully wrapped his arms around me, kissing my neck.

"Well, I try to maintain a bathing schedule…everyday, if I can," he teased. I snorted, smiling against his neck.

"Love you, I'll be down in a few." I pulled back to look at him. "Rose had to meet a guy at her shop for a drop off or something."

"'Kay, love," he smiled. He kissed me sweetly, but still managed to leave me breathless. "Take a hot bath, baby," he smirked, "it'll make you feel better. Plus, you have paint right here," he kissed my neck, "and here," he smiled, kissing my elbow, "and here," he chuckled, kissing my knuckles.

"Ok, ok," I laughed, "go on, get out of here."

He snickered, helping me off his lap and left. I padded into the bathroom, drawing a hot bath.

EPOV

"Eddie!" Emmett smiled when I walked into the bar. "How's my baby sister doing?" He asked, putting clean glasses away.

"She's sore, but physically fine," I sighed. "I think she's still a little freaked out." I grabbed chairs off the top of a table, setting them on the floor.

"I imagine," he nodded. "Jasper said she kind of flipped when the truck was there, but they couldn't find you…and then when they did…" He just shook his head. "I know my brother, dude, he said he wasn't sure if she would have been ok…if…you weren't. He was really worried."

"Yeah," I frowned, setting more chairs on the floor. "She said something close to that."

"Look, we were all close," he smiled, walking up to me and slapping my back. "But, you two were different…always with the secrets and laughing…you need each other." I nodded, smiling at his memory of us. "Is she coming down tonight?"

"Yeah, when Rose gets back," I nodded.

"Excellent," he chuckled.

Two hours into the night, the girls still hadn't come down. We were busy. Emmett and I took turns with the bar and tables. We were trying to avoid a group of girls that were sitting at the bar.

There were three of them. Chelsea couldn't keep her eyes off of Emmett. She was a loud girl, but not unintelligent. She had honey colored hair and light brown eyes. She was pretty, but her flirting with Emmett was all in vain. While he was kind, he was trying very hard not to encourage her. The thought made me smile. He really had found something in Rose.

Samantha was very pretty in a Katie Holmes sort of way. Dark brown hair and sky blue eyes followed my every move. She had not stopped her advances since they had sat down.

But it was the third girl that made us cringe. Leah was angry. Man hater angry. She was American Indian, like Jake and she had just broken up with her cheating boyfriend, Scott. Her friends had brought her to the beach, taken her out to cheer her up, and she hated every minute of it.

Emmett, being the cheery guy that he is, tried to make her laugh, but only received laughs from the other two. Chelsea loved it, Leah scowled. Emmett eventually gave up playing a clown.

"Emmett," Chelsea called. "Can I get another one?" She asked, winking at him. I snickered, but he put his shoulder into my chest.

"How the hell do you deal with this shit?" He mumbled, pouring her another draft.

"Bella," I laughed, shrugging.

"Edward," Samantha called. "Me too," she smiled, holding up her mug. When I went to take her glass, her fingers caressed mine. I ignored it, but she looked as though she had accomplished something.

I heard my favorite laugh behind me, coming in from the lobby. Bella walked in looking like a dream. She was wearing a short denim skirt and a black tank top with thin straps. She was with Rose and they both eyed the situation at the bar. With just a raised eyebrow, she asked me everything. I just nodded once with an eye roll. We had communicated this way forever.

She nodded, whispering to Rose, and they both took stools at the bar. She sat right next to Samantha. Emmett and I set down our beers and walked over. "Ladies," I greeted.

"What can I get for you?" Emmett asked Rose with a smirk.

"Margarita on the rocks," Rose answered coolly.

"And you?" I asked Bella, knowing she probably only wanted a beer.

"Beer's fine…bottle," she smiled, looking up at me and then over to the girls next to her. I could see her sizing them up. She turned back to me, mischief filling her brown pools. It's like she could flip a switch.

Emmett nodded and started Rose's drink while I grabbed Bella's beer out of the cooler. "Fuck, they're hot," I heard Bella giggle. I fought my smile and shook my head.

"Yeah," Rose snorted. Oh hell, it was a tag team. I looked over at Emmett and he was chuckling to himself, hearing everything I was.

"Good luck," Samantha snorted, "The Greek god is most unresponsive," she drawled, sighing. "Maybe he's gay." Emmett's snort was quickly turned into a cough. I looked up at Bella. She was biting her bottom lip and looking me up and down.

"What about the tall one?" Rose asked, looking over Bella's head.

"Chelsea's tried him all night too…nothing."

"They might be together," Bella snorted and nearly lost it when Emmett's head shot up to glare at her.

I set Bella's beer in front of her and she picked it up quickly to hide her smile. "Thanks," she smiled, setting it down.

"Anytime," I nodded with a smirk, heading out to the tables, but still listening in.

"Here you go," Emmett smiled, sliding Rose's drink to her. "Let us know when you're ready for another one."

"Ok," they said together.

"Emmett," Chelsea called sweetly. "What do you do when you're not bartending?" She asked as I walked back behind the bar.

He didn't get a chance to answer, but Leah did. "Sleep with drunk women, I'm sure."

"Actually, that's not true," Emmett answered, sounding offended and heading off to the tables.

Samantha looked over at Bella and Rose and mumbled, "Break up."

"Oh," Bella frowned, looking back at Leah. "Sorry."

"Edward," Samantha called, holding up her mug again. "What are you doing tomorrow…we're heading to Long Boat Key. Wanna come?" Bella's head turned slightly, listening in.

"No thank you," I smiled, sliding her beer across the bar. I took a step to Bella and asked, "What about you…you ready for another round?" I raised my eyebrow at her.

She looked at her beer. "Yeah, sure." As I stepped away, I heard her say to Samantha, "I'm not picking up a gay vibe…mind if I try?"

"Go ahead, but I'm telling you…"

"Thanks, Edward…is it?" She asked as I stepped back in front of her, looking up at me.

"Yeah and you are?"

"Bella," she smiled, holding out her hand.

I bent down, kissing the top of it. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl…it's nice to meet you." I could see it in her eyes that she wasn't expecting it, but she never let it show. With no one looking, I traced the lifeline of her palm, letting go of her hand.

"Um…thanks, Edward," she smirked.

Emmett came back around the bar, making four beers. "Hey, Ed, take these out to that table over there." He pointed to the booth in the corner. "I need to make another margarita."

"Sure," I nodded, grabbing them up and taking them out.

By the time I came back, Emmett had "introduced" himself to Rose. Chelsea's face was red with jealousy.

"So, Edward," Bella purred, leaning forward on the bar. "Does your boss allow you to see customers outside the bar?"

"Hmm," I frowned, leaning towards her. "I haven't been told I couldn't. Did you have something in mind?"

"Oh nothing major," she smiled, waving her hand. "Rose and I were thinking of going for a night swim."

"You should be careful at night," Emmett smiled, leaning on his elbows in front of Rose.

"Oh, and why is that?" Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Because you can't see things like jellyfish…you could get hurt," he frowned.

"Ew!" Bella gasped, looking up at me.

"Don't worry," I smiled. "We could go with you…make sure nothing gets you."

"You would?" Bella smiled. God, I wanted to kiss her bad. I nodded, hearing Leah mutter, "Told you so and I wanna go."

"Sure," Emmett nodded. "Can you hang out for a few hours?"

"You're sure you won't let anything get me?" Rose asked, tilting her head.

"Mmhm," Emmett smiled, standing up straight.

"You promise?" Bella asked, looking up at me innocently.

"A jellyfish would have to bite me first to get to you, love," I smiled, winking at her.

"Ok, we'll wait," she sighed, smiling up at me.

"Sweet," Emmett beamed, kissing Rose's hand.

Chelsea was pissed, but paid her tab, dragging a whining Leah behind her. Samantha just shook her head, following them out the door.

"Gay?!" Emmett growled, looking at his sister.

"I'm sorry!" She laughed, hitting the bar with her hand. "I have to use what's thrown at me!"

"Thanks, love," I smiled, leaning over to kiss her. She kissed me back, giggling.

"Anytime, my Greek god…" she snorted.

* * *

**A/N…YAY! Edward won the bet…you know what that means? Naked Day! LMAO I don't think anybody thought of that in voting…a regular date vs. naked day…roflmao**

**Huge thanks to Brits23 who is having a helluva week…love you and much thanks.**

**Anyway, Chicago…next.**

**REVIEW, Please!!!! Ok… and last thing…if you want, I have posted two albums on PhotoBucket(dot)com. You can search by drotuno under people or there is a link on my profile. One album is for Broken Angel for those of you that read that story and the other is for An Island in the Sun. Charlie is finally posted online! LOL**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N…So, I just have to tell you…your reviews this time cracked me up…an indignant Emmett over accusations of being gay was really funny!**

**Now…Chicago…yes, I'm currently clapping like Alice…because I think, in all reality, this chapter and the next were really the reason I wrote this story. I was looking so forward to writing this part, that when I sat down to do it, I spilled out 2 chapters in one day…whew!**

**Ok…see you at the bottom…**

* * *

CHAPTER 16

BPOV

"So, Bells," Rose laughed. "What's the strangest thing that has happened in that bar?"

We were all sitting out on the deck eating breakfast. Everyone, apart from me, was about to head down to Billy's for the last of the decorating. My back was still sore and I had guests checking in. "Where's Jake?" I asked, turning around.

"The beach, love," Edward pointed. "He's with my parents."

"Even better…they shouldn't hear this story either," I laughed.

"Naked guy?" Jasper snorted and I nodded.

"Ok, so Jazz and I were working the bar. We had been open about six months," I started. "We were close to closing time and Sherry was there…she was leaving and goes to walk out the door, but slams it and runs up to me. She grabs my hand and drags me to the door." I snorted, shaking my head. "She opens the door and all I see is this middle aged fat guy…totally naked, standing in the parking lot. He's leaning on the bike rack…jacking off!"

"No!" Edward laughed.

"You're fucking lying!" Rose gasped.

"I'm not, I swear!" I raised my hands.

"She's not lying," Jasper chuckled, "I saw him."

"So he sees us all standing in the doorway," I continued, "and instead of running off, he just gets…more…excited." I shook my head. "Not that it was worth looking at," I mumbled and Rose snorted.

"Yeah," Jasper laughed. "He's bending over the bike rack, straddling it, laying on it…it was insane!"

"Stop it!" Edward gasped. Emmett and Alice were leaning on each other in hysterics.

"Damn, Bells," Emmett laughed, "I'd forgotten this story."

"Ok, so Jasper tries to shoo him off, but he stays there…um…just going to town," I wiped a tear away. "Finally, I call the cops. They asked me to describe him…I'm like…it's a naked guy on the street…you can't miss him, I promise. They tell me that they need a better description than that…so, I'm over it at this point…I told the cop…Look, if you see a fat naked guy with a hard on walking down the street…that's your man."

"She did too," Jasper laughed, shaking his head. The whole table fell into hysterics.

"Did they catch him?" Rose asked, trying to breathe.

"No idea," Jasper snorted. "But Bells saw him later."

"Really?" Edward laughed.

"Yeah," I nodded. "He was in Sherry's store. It was all we could do not to ask him about it. He was in a nice suit and tie…not what I was expecting. He must have been drunk or something…He kept looking at us like he knew us, but never said a word."

"Can you imagine?" Edward laughed. "He probably has a wife and kids…good job, but some sort of exhibition addiction…" I laughed and nodded.

"I knew a girl like that," Emmett smiled. "I met her in Seattle. You guys were still in Forks…she was the girlfriend of a co-worker. It only happened when she drank. She'd be walking down the sidewalk with her boyfriend and just drop to her knees in front of him."

"How embarrassing!" Alice snorted. "She probably had no idea she was doing it."

"Nope, never remembered a thing." Emmett chuckled.

"Miss Bella!" Jake beamed, running up into my lap and stopping the conversation. "When are we going back to my house?"

"That's up to you, buddy," I smiled, ruffling his hair. "I have to stay here, but everyone else is going. You can go with Mr. Edward if you want."

"Ok," he smiled. He grabbed my face and whispered, "My dad's coming home soon."

"I know," I whispered back. "I bet you're happy about that."

He nodded, smiling, but suddenly frowned. "School's starting soon. I heard Aunt Sue talking about it. You'll be going away, won't you? To teach other kids?"

"Yep," I nodded. "And you're going into second grade…"

"Will you still come on the weekends?"

"Of course…I believe you have piano lessons scheduled, huh?" I asked, winking at Edward. He chuckled, watching Jake with a touch of pride on his face. I could tell that passing on this part of himself to Jake was really important to him.

"Oh yeah!" He beamed, turning to Edward. "I want to learn Claire…."

"_Claire de Lune,_" Edward corrected softly. His head was tilted, watching the two of us. He was leaning back in his chair, his fingertips touching. A smile was playing on his lips. He was simply gorgeous as the morning light highlighted his now tan skin.

"Yeah, that was pretty," Jake smiled

"And my favorite," I laughed. "You don't have high expectations at all, do you, buddy?" Edward chuckled, shaking his head at both of us.

"J-man," Emmett snorted. "If you can learn from anyone, it's Eddie. Brother's got more talent in one pinky than we all do put together…you couldn't have a better teacher, little dude." Edward turned slightly pink at the praise coming from Emmett, but stayed quiet.

"But, let's get your house done," Jasper laughed, saving Edward from more attention to something he didn't really talk about.

"Ok!" Jake laughed, kissing my cheek. "See you later, Miss Bella."

"Bye, guys," I smiled, getting kisses on my head from my brothers and one on the lips from Edward.

****

My elderly couple checked in, only staying the weekend. Carlisle and Esme left us the next Monday, their goal was to be moved by the wedding. Carlisle would stay off and on at the beach house to be able to start his new position. They decided to keep the house in Chicago until the market improved, renting it out. Esme would pack what necessities they would need, moving it into the new bungalow in time for Alice and Jasper's wedding.

Billy came home to a very happy little boy. Armed with a new wheelchair, he was shocked at the changes in his home, but very pleased. Once they were back in a routine, Jake's nightmares came to a stop. Billy never blamed us for anything and said that Jake could see the councilor at school once school started if the nightmares returned.

Soon, the last week of August arrived and I found myself sitting on a plane to Chicago. I was sitting next to the window with Edward beside me. Alice and Jasper were in the row in front of us. I stared out the window, watching the patchwork of land slide by underneath us. For a moment, I wondered if anyone else saw the ground below us the way I did -- like a giant quilt.

I felt a squeeze to my hand and I turned to see Edward smiling at me. "You're quiet," he noted.

"I hate flying," I smiled. "Not afraid, really…I just don't like the ear popping, constrictive feel of it."

"I was worried for a minute," he sighed, running his other hand through his hair.

"Well, don't," I smiled at him again. "I'm nervous, but in a way I don't think I can explain," I sighed.

"Can you try?" He asked, leaning his head back. He brow was wrinkled, his mouth set in a thin line.

I leaned my own head back, a mirror of his position, but I reached up and cupped his face. "I'll try," I said, but it came out more like a question and he nodded. "I've had dreams where I've taken this flight _to _you," I started, "so it's all feeling a bit surreal. I would usually have them after talking late at night with Alice. She would always update me on you, whether I asked or not," I snickered and Edward smiled. "It was always the last topic of conversation."

I looked down at our entwined fingers, trying to put my thoughts together. "I feel off balance and raw," I frowned, "like I'm getting what I always wanted, but like it could all be ripped from my grasp." I looked back up at him. "Does that make sense? I'm sorry…it's hard to expl…"

His lips were on mine before I could think, his hand fisting my hair at the back of my neck. I sighed, drinking him in. It was heart stopping and breathtaking. I could feel it everywhere. His tongue licked my bottom lip slowly, sucking it lightly and doing the same thing to my top. He turned my head to delve back into my mouth, moaning softly.

With almost a chaste kiss, he broke from me, resting his forehead to mine and breathing heavy. "I want this too," he whispered, his hand tucking my hair behind my ear. "So much," he breathed. I nodded against his forehead, unable to say anything. "Will you do me a favor?" He asked, smiling.

"Yeah," I nodded again, pulling back to look at his perfect face.

"Let me spoil you while we're here." His head tilted adorably and he touched the tip of my nose with his finger. "You spoiled me…it's my turn. We don't have a lot of time, but…"

"Whatever you want, Edward," I smiled, shaking my head. "Ooh, does that mean I don't have to pack boxes?" I beamed dramatically, knowing he couldn't stop me anyway.

"No, you're committed to that, I'm afraid," he chuckled.

We landed at O'Hare airport in the late afternoon. The four of us shared a cab, dropping Alice and Jasper off at her apartment building first. Before they got out, Alice stopped, turning to her brother. "Let's go out tonight! Meet at Harry's?" She asked, smiling.

"Sure, Ali," Edward chuckled.

"Eight o'clock," she nodded, kissing us both and getting out of the car. Jasper kissed my head and followed her.

"Alice loves Harry's," Edward explained, "and I didn't go out much before we left." He shrugged, kissing me quickly. "It's where we would meet when I was avoiding Lauren." I smiled, nodding.

We pulled up in front of a tall building, the door opening for us. Edward paid the cab driver, stepping out and offering me his hand. "Welcome back, Mr. Cullen," a young man in a uniform greeted.

"Thank you, Joshua," Edward smiled.

"We got your requests," Joshua smiled. He was a thin boy with sharp blue eyes and a smirk on his face that I imagined stayed there most of the time. "Your boxes are in storage, just let me know when you want them…I'll bring them up."

"Again, thank you, Joshua," Edward nodded, guiding me in through the doors and carrying the bag we shared. I looked up at him, seeing a differently poised Edward. It was almost a mask, but not quite. I had known him my whole life, there was no mask I couldn't see through.

The lobby was beautiful, spacious. The floors were a gray slate tile and the walls looked like a honey colored wood. Stainless steel accents were everywhere. We stepped into the elevator and Edward pressed the top floor. I felt a kiss to my head. Whether it was for my reassurance or his, it didn't matter. I leaned into it and his arm wrapped around my shoulders. He was about to show me a part of himself that he claimed he wasn't proud of, that he was glad to be moving away from. I had a feeling that we would be keeping each other grounded throughout this entire move.

The elevator doors opened to a hall. "Come on, love," he smirked, taking my hand. We turned right and Edward opened the door to his apartment.

My breath caught as I walked in the door. It was a stunning place, but completely masculine. The living room was directly in front of me, the kitchen on my right. The furniture was all black leather, the tables were glass. The kitchen was dark marble counters with cherry cabinets.

I heard keys tossed onto the counter behind me. "It's gorgeous, Edward," I turned around with a smile.

"Tour?" He asked, smiling.

"Yeah, definitely." He took me down a short hallway to open a door. His office was the first door he opened. The walls were a chocolate brown. His desk was glass and the chairs were white leather.

"My office," he smiled. "I should have brought my own laptop," he chuckled. The art on the walls were old ads and black and white prints. "Come on," he smiled, tugging my hand. The next room was his bedroom.

If a room could exude sexiness, this one topped the list. I had to clench my fist, digging my nails in my palm not to groan. The room was saturated with the scent of Edward. He had an accent wall behind the bed in navy blue and the headboard was a pewter iron with straight lines. The bedding was a blue and white design. There were two chairs in the window overlooking the prettiest view I had ever seen. The sun was setting over Chicago.

"Wow, that's beautiful," I gasped, walking over to the window. "And I thought Tampa was pretty," I snorted, turning to see his smile.

"I've imagined you in that very window," he smiled. "Only you're much more beautiful than my fantasies were." I could see he meant every word. "One more thing…" He reached out his hand for me and I took it.

We walked back towards the kitchen and he picked up his keys, walking to a door we had passed on the way in. "It's locked?" I asked, watching him turn the key.

"Lauren wasn't allowed in this room," he paused, realizing how that sounded.

"Allowed?" I snorted, raising my eyebrow.

He sighed, closing his eyes. "I've told you that I wasn't…I didn't…" He stopped, clenching his jaw. His eyes opened and they were sharp, cold, but remorseful. He seemed to be standing taller.

"Edward, stop, relax," I smiled. "It's ok, just say what you need to…we've known each other too long to hide shit."

"When I cheated, Lauren tried to destroy this room," he frowned. I nodded for him to continue. "You remember Alice saying I had pictures of all of us growing up?" I nodded again. "Ok, well, she hit me where it hurt the most…so once I cleaned it up, I locked it."

"Well, let's see it," I smiled again, poking him to remind him who we were. He chuckled nervously, opening the door.

I imagine it would be another bedroom, but Edward had turned it into his own personal refuge. Sitting in the floor to ceiling window was his piano. I remembered it from when we were kids. A baby grand piano, shiny black. Covering the walls and the top of the piano was nothing but pictures in frames. "Oh Edward," I gasped, looking around. There were two bookcases in the room filled with titles I recognized. Some were music related.

Alice was right, the pictures ranged from every year. There were even some I had never even remembered being taken. Memories flew through my mind as I looked at them all. Pictures of all five of us, me and Edward, me and Alice, me and Esme…and then just me, lots of just me. I laughed when I saw the picture of all five of us at the last fair before Emmett had moved to Seattle. I was on Edward's back, Alice on Jasper's and Emmett was kneeling in front of us. We were all just blissfully happy in that picture.

The one that caught my eye was Charlie and my brothers. I picked it up, tracing a finger down my dad's face. I didn't realize I was crying until a tear hit the glass of the frame. My brothers were looking at my dad like he was a savior and I guess, in their eyes, he was. "I really miss him," I sighed, smiling through my tears. "He would be happy to know we were all back together."

"Yeah," Edward sighed, wiping my tears away. "What did he call us?"

"The five musketeers," I laughed and he joined me. I set the picture down and looked around the room again. "Lauren broke all of these…"

"Yeah," he nodded, looking around with me.

"Did you play for her?" I motioned to the piano.

"No," he shook his head. "She asked me to, but…I only played when I was alone."

"Play for me," I smiled.

He stopped for a moment and smiled. "Anytime," he breathed, kissing me quickly. "But you have to sit with me."

"Ok," I sat down beside him as _"Claire de Lune"_ drifted around me.

"Was that always your favorite?" He asked after he finished. "You never told me."

"Yep," I nodded, putting my cheek on his shoulder. I felt him kiss the top of my head. "Now it's my turn to ask a favor of you." I looked up at him and he smiled. Edward would give me anything I asked. "I don't want you to worry about what you _were_…it's why I'm here," I touched his face. "We are here to erase…Chicago Edward," I snorted.

His laugh filled the room and warmed my heart. "Just pinch me if I revert back while I'm here, ok?"

"Gladly," I giggled as he tickled my side. "Now, what does one wear to Harry's?" I asked, looking up at his confused face. "Forget it, I'll call Alice."

I didn't have to call Alice. There was a text message on my phone, telling me exactly what to wear. Apparently, Harry's was a step or two above casual. I snickered, thinking Edward had only seen me in my summer clothes.

He led me to his bathroom and brought our bag, leaving me to shower and change. I stepped out of the bathroom to his empty bedroom, still breathing deep the essence of the room. I had left my hair down, donning my favorite black dress. "Everyone needs a black dress," Alice had scolded me years ago when she was getting me ready for my first teaching job. As I pulled on a pair of silver heels, I heard a gasp behind me.

"Jesus," Edward's eyes raked over me, his mouth hanging open. He was walking into the room wearing black pants and a white button down shirt. He hadn't finished buttoning it all the way, so I walked up to him. I reached out, finishing the last three. He still hadn't said anything.

"Edward?" I smiled.

"You're stunning," he breathed as I straightened his collar.

"Thank you," I said, blushing slightly. "This," I pointed up and down like he did the day of his interview, "is how _I_ dress every day."

"You know," he smirked, "mornings at home will be very…hmm…rushed," he laughed.

"Hmm, home," I looked up at him, making sure he knew that was the best thing he had said yet.

"Yes, home," he nodded, kissing me sweetly. "Come on, beautiful," he smiled. "I want all of Chicago to know the reason I'm leaving. Let me show you off."

Damn, he's good.

We exited the elevators, but instead of heading out the front doors like I expected, he turned towards a door to the side. The sign above it stated that it was to the garage. We walked a few rows over to stand in front of his Volvo. "Normally, I wouldn't drive, but I missed my car," he smiled and shrugged like a little boy.

"I see why," I laughed. "It's beautiful." It was the C70 like he had told me. I knew cars only because of Rose. It was shiny metallic black and as he opened my door, I observed the black interior. "You better find shade to park in when we get home…black on black is a heat magnet in the sun."

"I know," he laughed, kissing me as he got in the driver's seat. "I've thought about that."

He shifted into reverse, backing out. Seeing Edward drive a stick after so many weeks behind the wheel of my truck was shockingly erotic to me. Something about the movement of his legs, the grip of his hand on the stick was making my hands sweat. I forced myself to look out the window.

We pulled up in front of Harry's and my door was opened for me. Edward handed the keys off to the valet and placed his hand at the small of my back. Alice and Jasper were pulling up right as the Volvo was taken away. I snickered at Alice behind the wheel of her car. The bright yellow Porsche was perfect for her and I couldn't explain why, except that the color seemed to match her bright demeanor. "Let me guess," I laughed as she walked up to me. "You missed driving too." Edward chuckled beside me.

"I missed my fucking car!" She laughed. "That rental was pissing me off." Jasper and I laughed, shaking our heads. The Cullens and their cars were always funny to us, but it was something that endeared us, not offended. They never flaunted. Carlisle and Esme had taught them to be grateful for what they had.

Music poured out the door as we walked in. "Edward! Alice!" A girl called out, from our right. She was a waitress with a happy face covered in freckles.

"Casey," Alice beamed.

"Hey, Casey," Edward smiled. "Four?"

"Sure, guys," Casey smiled. "Come on."

She took us to a booth in a corner. "Where the hell have you been?" She scolded and I snickered, liking her instantly. "And damn, handsome, aren't you tan!" Jasper and I laughed.

"Florida," Alice snickered.

"Oh yeah," Casey smiled. "Is this the one?" She asked, pointing to Jasper.

"Yep. Jasper…Bella, this is Casey…the only reason to come to Harry's." Alice giggled.

"Right, right," she rolled her eyes. "It's nice to meet you. I know what you two want…" she motioned to the twins. "What can I get you?"

Jasper and I ordered beers and let the Cullens guide us on the food. We ate and talked about the move. The truck would be at Alice's apartment first in two days and then to Edward's. "We better take the cars to be transported tomorrow, Ali," Edward said, "and then the packing…" He sighed, smiling over at me. Alice agreed with him.

Casey came to check on us. "Look at you smiling," she smirked. "I always thought your face would crack." I snorted, looking at a chuckling Edward. "That must be your influence." She pointed to me.

"It is," Edward smiled, grabbing my hand under the table.

"Oh girl," she laughed, "what have you done with my Edward? Forget it, I don't want to know…I like this one better." I laughed and Alice and Jasper joined me. Edward smirked, looking away from us all.

Casey walked away. "Hmm," Jasper snorted. "And we thought Miguel and Maria were bad."

"Right," Edward sighed, shaking his head. He looked up at me, and asked, "Want to dance?"

"Anything to get a break?" I snickered and he nodded. "Then, yes." He stood up from the table, offering his hand to me. He led me to the dance floor where beautiful jazz music was playing.

"I'm sorry," he sighed.

"Don't apologize to me," I smiled. "I love _you_, period," I placed my hand in his and my other arm on his shoulder. "I know the real you."

"True," he smiled, kissing my temple.

We held each other close, Edward's thumb rubbing my palm. I could see how hard this was for him. I was just about to kiss him when a woman's voice called from behind us. "Edward?" We both turned. She was gorgeous, young and hurting. I could see it as she looked at him. She didn't quite have brown hair, it was lighter than mine, but her eyes were as green as his were.

"Ashley," he breathed. I could feel the air rush out of him. As I looked at her, I remembered the first night he had returned, telling me she was a mistake. For him, maybe that was true, but for her it was devastating.

"You're not working for Jensen and Mallory anymore," she noted. I looked passed her and there was a handsome boy watching her every move.

"No," Edward shook his head. Then he did what I was afraid he would do. He slipped his mask on, his eyes turning cold. His posture straightened and his voice deepened. He let go of me completely. "What can I do for you, Ashley?" He asked and she flinched like he had slapped her.

"Nothing," she frowned. "I just hadn't seen you…I was…just worried."

"Well, don't." He sighed and she flinched again.

"Edward," I frowned and he turned to me like he had forgotten I was there. I reached out my hand. "Hey, I'm Bella." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye as she took my hand.

"Oh, Ashley," she tried to smile, but it wavered. "Look…I'll leave you. I just wanted to say hello." I caught movement behind her and I could see Alice's worried face.

Edward nodded curtly, dismissing her, and that did it for me. "Outside," I growled. "Now."

"Bella," he started with a touch of whininess to it, rolling his eyes.

"Now," I looked up at him, not giving him a choice. We stepped out into the night air, a breeze blowing my hair off of my shoulders. We walked away from people and I turned on him. He started to say something and I cut him off. "You really were an asshole, weren't you?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"I'm sorry you had to see her," he breathed, not answering my question.

"I don't care about that! She's heartbroken over you and you snapped on her!" I fumed, poking him in the chest. "I'm not intimidated by other women, Edward. I know where we stand." I motioned between us. "You didn't treat Amber as bad as you just treated that poor girl."

"I know, but…"

"No buts…" I sighed, looking at the street and the traffic light. "You told me once that I didn't see myself very clearly." I looked up at him and he nodded, deciding it was best to just keep quiet. "You don't either. You have _no_ idea what you're capable of…what just your presence can do. You're heartbreaking to look at, Edward. Your voice, your confidence…even your hair, it drives women crazy. We can't help but love you. She's probably watched you in that building from the moment she saw you and you never knew it." I frowned, taking a deep breath. "It may have been a mistake for you…but for her…Edward, it was the only chance she had. I understand that. You can't treat her like that."

He didn't say anything, just stared at me. "Look," I sighed. "I love you…you're mine. But you really need to understand the power you have. You can break us with one word. I've saved you from a million women, baby. I won't do this one. You owe her an apology."

"Yeah," he nodded, frowning, but he didn't move. "You…" he sighed, looking away from me, "have no idea how much I love you. You really understand her side?" He asked, his brow wrinkling.

"Yes, and I will explain it, just not on the street." I nodded, looking up at him. "Later."

"Ok," he nodded, taking my hand. We walked back towards the restaurant and Ashley and her date were leaving. "Ashley, can I speak with you for a moment?" She nodded, looking up at him. I could tell that she was intimidated by him, but it was clear that she couldn't help herself.

"I'll be inside," I told him, squeezing his hand. He nodded and I walked in to find Alice almost pacing, biting her lip like me.

"Oh God, what happened?" She rushed to me, pulling me towards the restrooms. "Where's my idiot brother?"

I snickered, "Talking to Ashley."

Alice stopped in front of the sinks. "You went off didn't you? Chicago Edward just got his ass handed to him." I laughed, shrugging. "God, I love you!" She cracked up.

"I love you too, pixie," I sighed. "He really was…"

"A complete jackass, yes," she laughed. "Don't blame yourself, he made that choice."

"I know." I nodded and we walked out of the restroom together. We joined Jasper, Alice kissing his cheek as we sat down. Edward wasn't back in yet.

"Where's Eddie?" Jasper asked, looking around.

"Making atonement," I smiled wryly and Alice snickered. I watched over Alice's head Edward's conversation with Ashley through the window of the restaurant. He was nervous, running a hand through his hair. She was angry and he nodded in agreement to whatever she said. She gave him a wry smile and I watched as he turned pink, his eyes flicking to the window. Ashley started to walk away towards her date that was standing off to the side, but she turned back, kissing him on the cheek.

Edward stood for a moment, staring at the ground. With one last hand through his hair, he came back inside. Alice saw my face change expression and turned as he walked in the door.

"Ok, so tomorrow, after we drop off the cars, let's get lunch and then the torturous packing will begin. That is if you're still bringing Edward back with you," she smirked, watching him walk to the table.

"Yeah, I guess," I sighed dramatically for his benefit. He smiled, shaking his head at us. "I don't think I have a choice, really. He obviously can't be left behind." He chuckled, turning pink as he sat down.

"Thanks, love," he said, looking over at me. The thank you was for more than just the little joke we were playing. He meant for reminding him of who he was. I nodded, taking his hand.

Alice and Jasper got up to dance, leaving us alone. I turned to him. "You're my best friend _first_, Edward. Don't thank me for reminding you." He nodded, turning to face me. "How did it go with her?"

"She was…God, Bella, you were right," he frowned, shaking his head. "I did break her, but she's found someone."

"Good," I smiled. "He was handsome, I saw him behind her."

"Yeah…," he nodded. "He works for my old company, actually." Edward looked up at me desperately. "I can't wait to go home."

His choice of words was not lost on me. "I know, sweetheart." I brushed his hair from his face. "You need a haircut," I noted with a smile.

"And you're beautiful and brilliant and a saint for putting up with me," he sighed, leaning into my hand that was still brushing at his hair.

"Dance with me," I sighed, "I need you to hold me." He smiled, standing up.

EPOV

Of all the people to run into, it just had to be Ashley. I couldn't stop myself from icing over. But, that didn't stop my Bella. She practically slapped me with reality. I think if I hadn't shut up, she would have slapped me for real. She had said that she understood what Ashley had been feeling. I really didn't understand how that could be. Every time I had looked at James, jealousy had wracked my entire frame. Bella was so much more comfortable than I was with my past lovers.

I did apologize to Ashley, much to her surprise and mine. She had needed to hear it, needed to tell me that I had hurt her and I needed to own it. "You just threw me away, Edward," she sighed, looking over her shoulder at the young man that was waiting patiently for her by the valet. "But, I've found someone that won't." She stuck her chin out in defiance.

"I was…" I sighed, running a hand through my hair, "I was hurting for a long time, Ashley. I'm sorry you were a part of it."

"You're not anymore," she noted, smiling slightly. "I hardly recognize you. She's beautiful, Edward, really."

"She's…everything," I smiled.

"She's very lucky," Ashley said softly almost to herself. "She keeps you in line."

I laughed, nodding. "Very much so."

"She's better than Lauren, kinder. Don't screw it up." She snickered and looked back up at me. "I hated you…for a long time."

"I deserve that," I frowned. "I'm not who you think I am, Ashley. I'm not who you met."

"I figured…I had hoped to change you, but…" She shrugged, shaking her head. "Bella seems to have succeeded where the rest of us failed. Good luck, Edward." She kissed my cheek and started to walk away, but she turned back. "And thank you…apology accepted."

As I looked down at Bella in my arms as we danced, I suddenly didn't want to be out anymore. She looked up at me, smiling. I kissed her nose, her temple and finally her mouth. "I love you," I whispered, pulling her closer. "Please tell me we can get out of here soon."

"This is your show, Edward," she laughed, "I'm just here to make sure you come home with me. You tell me what we're doing."

"We're going back to my apartment," I chuckled.

Alice was disappointed, but considering the night's events, she understood and said that she would be by in the morning to take the cars. We would take the el back to start packing.

We walked back into my place and I was shocked at the feelings that were coursing through me. Suddenly, the apartment that I used to love felt ugly and cold. I wanted to be home with my Bella in the warmth. It's when I knew that what we were doing was the right thing.

I set my keys on the kitchen counter and watched Bella walk to the living room window. "I thought sunset was pretty," she smiled, "I was wrong. The lights are better."

"Tell me," I sighed, forcing my hands in my pockets. I wanted to push her against the glass and take her in front of the entire city. "What did you mean about Ashley?"

"Sit, Edward," Bella smiled. She pointed to my black leather chaise in front of the window. It was a chair and a half, big enough for two people. I sat, looking up at her. "Our first time, that summer," she smiled, cupping my face. "If that had been the only time, I would have still made love to you…given you my heart. Because I couldn't resist you…even if you had not returned my love, I would have." She paused, kissing my forehead. "I saw it in Ashley's eyes. She had made that same decision…only it didn't work out for her. I got lucky…in more ways than one," she snickered.

I pulled her down on my lap, brushing her hair back. "You don't know what you can do, Edward, and that makes you all the more appealing and more dangerous. It's why I have to beat the women off of you." She kissed my cheek, running her nose across my jaw line.

"I told you that you wouldn't like me here," I frowned, looking out into the city. "And I told you that you would tell me so," I snorted, looking back at her.

"You're right," she nodded. "My Edward is warm and sweet…that Edward isn't. He's a jerk and I would have told him so on a daily basis. In detail!"

"I know," I smiled. "Dangerous?" I asked, snickering.

"You are," she smiled. "You can leave us stunned, breathless. I hate telling you this shit. It better not go to your head." I rolled my eyes at her, causing her to giggle. "Tell me you love me, Edward." Her warm hands cupped my face.

"I love you…so much," I sighed, running my hands all over her. "Despite tonight's events, I'm really glad you're here. And I really like this dress," I snickered, "but it has to go, love."

"Ok," she breathed, sinking her fingers into my hair. If there was one action that could bring me back to earth, it would be that one. I never let any other woman touch my hair, but Bella. I moaned, leaning into her and capturing her mouth with mine. She tasted like beer and strawberries and home as her tongue swept along mine. One of my hands twisted into her hair and the other slid down the zipper of her dress. Her breath caught and she pulled back, looking at me and pulling my shirt from my pants. Her eyes were dark, but they never left mine. She unbuttoned my shirt as I slipped the dress off of her shoulders, leaning down to kiss the newly exposed skin of her collarbone.

Her warm hands glided over my chest, pushing my shirt off. I shrugged out of it, pulling her dress to her waist. My breath caught when I looked at the bra she was wearing. It was the black and red one, another item I had requested from the mall. "Oh God," I looked up at her. "I knew that would look good, but fuck…" She smiled, biting her lip. "Stand up," I commanded and she stood. With a quick yank, I pulled her dress off completely. She stood in front me, the set just adding to the perfection of her. I turned her around and she laughed at me.

"Edward," she giggled. "Maybe I should warn you…"

"Maybe," I smiled, placing a kiss on the red bow that was on the top of the back of her thong, rubbing her bottom with my hands. "But, I don't want you to," I smirked, turning her back around. She smiled, crawling back onto my lap. "You're so fucking gorgeous," I breathed and her lips crashed into mine. She wrapped her legs around my waist, grinding into me. Her head turned, sweeping her tongue into my mouth. A whimper escaped her when I squeezed her bottom, pulling her in closer.

I could feel her heat through my pants. Her skin was so hot against my bare chest. She broke from my mouth, kissing along my jaw. "Do you know what you do to me, Edward?" She asked, nipping at my neck with her teeth. I couldn't speak, I just shook my head. She pulled back, pushing me into a reclined position and sliding away from me. She ran her warm hands down my chest, her nails scratching lightly. I groaned at the feel of her. She reached the waist of my pants and tugged, making my eyes snap to hers. "You're everything I could have ever asked for." Her breath fanned over my skin as she bent down to lick my stomach, her eyes still locked on mine. "Not only can I tell you anything…but, fuck if you aren't perfect." She unbuttoned my pants and I lifted my hips, aching for her to get rid of them.

"Please, baby," I begged. Her voice, her eyes, her hands, they were all driving me mad.

"Patience, Edward," she crooned, finally pulling my pants off. She did the same to my underwear, pushing them both onto the floor next to her dress. "And this," she sighed, biting her bottom lip and wrapping her hand around my now painful erection, "made me yours the second you were inside of me for the first time." I groaned at her words, my head falling back and my eyes closing.

"Bella," I moaned, "please, you're fucking killing me." It felt like my heart would pound out of my chest, my breathing was shallow, but it caught in my throat the second I felt her mouth on me. "Shit!" I gasped, opening my eyes. She was still watching my face as her mouth worked me over. I fisted my hand in her hair, tracing my thumb across her cheek. "So damn beautiful," I muttered and she hummed around me.

Her mouth came off of me and both her hands wrapped around me. "Who do you belong to, Edward?" She asked, pumping me hard with her hands. Bella didn't ever get possessive and it was fucking hot.

"You, love," I barely spoke, my breath hitching. I loved this woman more than my own life.

"Who are you coming home with?" She bent down and licked my pre-cum, swirling her tongue over my tip.

"You, baby," I panted. "Love, I'm so close."

"I know," she smiled evilly and I couldn't help but smirk back at her. She was enjoying teasing me. "Who fucking lets you come, baby?" She asked, not letting me answer, but sinking her mouth back down over me swiftly.

"Fuck, Bella! You fucking do," I gasped, unable to stop my orgasm, my hips rising up from the chair.

BPOV

I felt his body shudder as I crawled back up. "Get up here," he growled, but a smirk was firmly in place on his face. He dragged me up his body, his lips meeting mine in an all consuming kiss. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close. My legs were around his waist, our hips moving together. He was getting hard again.

He stood up, holding my bottom with one hand while the other skillfully flicked open my bra. I reached up and pulled it off, tossing it to the floor of the hallway. He was heading towards his bedroom and I groaned, looking around. He stopped at the foot of the bed. "What, love?" He asked, kissing down my neck, taking my breast in one hand and rubbing his thumb over my nipple.

"This room," I breathed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "It's so you…it's like crawling inside of you." He smiled against my skin, flicking his tongue out to taste my shoulder.

He set me down on the edge of the bed. "Now you know how I feel at home," he smirked and kneeled in front of me, reaching down to take my shoes off. "God, do you really dress like this every day?" He asked, with a pained expression on his face. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me and I nodded. "I'm a dead man," he breathed, shaking his head. I laughed for real, pulling his face to mine and kissing him roughly. He pushed me back, "Don't move." He raised a dangerous eyebrow at me and all I could do is nod. He walked to his nightstand, picking up a remote and music filled the room.

"Jesus, Edward," I groaned, falling back on the bed, "why do you torture me with my own playlist?"

It was his turn to laugh. "Because," he smiled, kneeling back in front me, and I sat back up. "It fascinates me that we have most of the same songs. Haven't you ever looked?" I shook my head no. "That's my iPod, love," he snickered, his eyebrow rising. I stopped breathing for a moment, realizing how much we were different yet alike.

"_Step Into My Room"_ by R Kelly seeped through my pores. Edward's hands were ghosting on the skin of my thighs. My breathing picked up as he got higher and higher. "I just love you," I shook my head at him.

"Me too, love," he smiled, leaning in to kiss my knee. His hands reached the top of my thong and he gripped them, looking up at me. I leaned back on my elbows, lifting my hips. He slipped them down, tossing them to the floor next to him. He reached up, placing his hand flat over my heart, gliding it down between my breasts, to cup my apex. My hips rose up to meet his hand. I grunted in frustration when he held me still. "Shh," he smiled, leaning closer to my thigh. "Let me have this," he whispered, his brow wrinkling. "You have no idea how many nights I dreamed you were right there." He looked at the bed under me and back to my eyes.

"Baby," I breathed, reaching for his face.

He stopped my hand, kissing it and setting it down. He pulled me by my hips to the edge of the bed, lifting my right leg and placing a kiss on the inside of my thigh. "Lay back, baby," he whispered and I did. He placed my leg over his shoulder and did the same to my left leg. When his lips touched the skin of my mound, I cried out, calling his name and my head falling back. I shook as his tongue swept through my folds. He opened me up and his tongue entered into me with a force, ending in a kiss. My legs pulled him in closer, but his arm held my hips when I tried to grind against him.

I tried to stop, but my hips had a mind of their own when it came to his mouth on me. "Edward, don't stop." I fisted his comforter, my mouth hanging open. "You feel so good," I groaned and then gasped as he moaned into me, slipping a finger into me and licking my nerves with a flat tongue.

"Come, love, I need it," he said against my skin, lightly biting down on my sensitive nub. My hips shot up on their own and I came with a sob. My hands were locked on his covers. He licked me until my spasms calmed. Leaning over me, he rubbed my hands until they relaxed and let go of the comforter. His lips crashed into me and I gripped him, tasting myself on his lips and tongue.

He wrapped an arm under me, dragging me up the bed, the kiss never breaking. He settled between my legs and my instinct to wrap my legs around him took over, pulling him closer. He moaned as every inch of our skin touched. "Edward, I need you inside," I breathed as his mouth broke from mine, licking down my neck. He had an elbow planted at my head, his other hand exploring all the skin he could touch. He finally cupped my breast and I arched up to him.

The song changed. _"Trust"_ by Keyshia Cole started and my eyes locked on his. Its meaning was for both of us. He pressed his forehead to mine and slid into me. I cried out, gripping his back and sliding down to his bottom. I pulled him into me further, causing us to both gasp. My mouth was open against the skin of his gloriously smooth shoulder and I couldn't help but taste him, dragging my teeth and ending in a kiss. He moaned, burying his face in my neck, licking and sucking.

I urged him to roll over just to be able to see him under me. One of his hands guided my hips while the other cupped my breast, rubbing his thumb over my nipple roughly. I arched, my hands flying back to his thighs. My hips ground against him, eliciting the most delicious moans from him.

Edward sat up, the one hand still at my hip and the other on my back. I watched his tongue snake out to trail around my nipple. He looked up at me through his long eyelashes, his eyes dark with lust. Watching his tongue, his mouth on me was causing my stomach to twist with my approaching orgasm. He switched to my other nipple, his dark eyes never breaking from mine. "Oh God," I whimpered, my breathing was barely there.

"Do you like my mouth on you, love?" His voice was so husky, thick. I nodded, my brow furrowing as his tongue flicked my nipple again. A sound escaped me that I couldn't even describe. "Do like _watching_ my mouth on you?" He asked and dragged his tongue across my chest back to the other nipple. All the while, his eyes were still locked on mine.

"Fuck," I cried, squeezing my eyes shut as I shattered. I gripped him by his shoulders hard, my whole body shook. I opened my eyes, grabbed his face and kissed him hard as he rolled us back over.

He broke from my mouth, his teeth grazing my shoulder as he reached down to hook one of my legs in the crook of his arm. "Right here," he growled into my neck. "You belong with me right here." He thrust into me hard and my head flew back.

"Oh fuck yes," I breathed, my other leg pulling him in harder. I buried my face in his neck, breathing him in, tasting him.

He swiveled his hips and I cried out as he hit my sweet spot. My head fell back and his lips kissed up to my cheek. I threaded my fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth to mine. "I'm so close, baby," I gasped, looking up at him. "Come with me, please."

"Give it to me, love," he said against my lips. Our mouths were open to each other, sharing the same breath, but not quite touching. I gasped as he swiveled his hips again, the coil in my stomach tightening further. "You're so beautiful," he smiled, grinding again and I snapped.

"Edward," I cried, my foot digging into him, almost stilling his movement. My back arched and my head flew back.

"Fuck, Bella," he cried, burying himself to the hilt and spilling into me. His head fell to my shoulder, his breathing ragged. "I know I'm smothering you," he smiled against my skin, "but I can't move."

"Don't move," I smiled, kissing his shoulder and rubbing his smooth back. Our breathing mellowed out and he pulled back to look at me.

He placed the sweetest of kisses on my lips and then my forehead. He reached over, pulling the covers down and we groaned when we separated to crawl under. I buried my face in his neck as he wrapped his arms around me. I realized I was exhausted when I yawned against his skin.

"Sleep, love," he breathed into my hair. My muscles twitched as they relaxed against him. I smiled, knowing that no matter where we went, we still could find our way back to just us. Just Edward and Bella. I looked forward to slowly kicking Chicago Edward out of the picture.

* * *

**A/N…So, the quick story at the beginning of this chapter…the naked man…yeah, that's totally a true story! LOL My husband is a bartender and the only thing that was different in his version and mine was that it was a barricade the guy was on and not a bike rack…just ew! **

**And many thanks to Brits23...looking forward to her new story…best beta ever…**

**Last thing…I need to explain my inspiration for a part in this last lemon…well, not really explain, but tell you that the inspiration from it came from the fabulous photo shoot Rob did for Vanity Fair…so, the mouth thing…totally the picture with his thumb at his mouth and those damn cigarettes…just hot…seriously. I just...yeah, there aren't words.**

**Ok…Review for me, please? Please?!?! Later…**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N…Here's the rest of Chicago…R/L is kicking my ass…seriously…the brightest spot was seeing New Moon this weekend…Holy Hell…There aren't words for that…seriously.**

**This was, by far, the longest chapter I've written for this story…**

**Have fun…see you at the bottom…**

* * *

CHAPTER 17

BPOV

I rolled over, drowning myself in the smell of Edward's bed. _God, they should bottle this shit_, I thought to myself with a smile. It beats any candle or cologne ever made. My hand reached out for him only to find him gone. I opened one eye, seeing a note on his pillow.

_Good Morning, Beautiful,_

_I went to grab us breakfast, my cupboards are bare. Make yourself at home, because Alice said she wouldn't be here until 10am._

_I love you with all my heart._

_Always, _

_Edward_

I smiled, sitting up and stretching. I got up, pushing the covers off of me and padding into the bathroom. I found all of my stuff waiting for me and I washed my face and brushed my teeth. Digging around in my bag, I laughed aloud at finding Edward's pajamas on top. He must have packed them when I wasn't looking. I pulled his Forks High track t-shirt on and the plaid green pants, rolling the waist down a few times. I also saw all of our clothes that had been discarded the night before in a pile next to our bag. I smiled again.

I wandered out of the bedroom, looking around his apartment again. I could see things that I liked and wondered just what he wanted to bring with us on the move. I looked at the chaise by the living room window, raising my eyebrow at it. Yeah, that was totally coming with us. I snickered to myself, thinking that it was going to the Tampa house even if I had to blackmail him for it. I would repaint a room just to make it work.

I looked up and saw that he had left the piano room unlocked. I walked in, drinking in all the photos again. I hoped he would let me hang most of them. It was an impressive collection, starting from when we first met to just before we parted. I wanted them on the piano at home and in my hallway.

I snickered, picking up a frame with a picture of me, Edward and Alice from seventh grade. I smiled at how small we looked, how I looked at him, not the camera. His hand was on my shoulder, gripping me. Alice was in front of us, oblivious to our torture behind her…and we were only twelve.

As I looked at all the pictures, I started to see it. My eyes on him, his eyes on me, our hands reaching for each other without thought. There were small glimpses of pain on each of our faces, until I came to a picture of just the two of us from our last summer. The bliss rolling off of us was breathtaking. We only looked at each other. Edward's eyes gleamed a bright emerald, my hand cupped his face and we were laughing about something I don't even remember.

I was so lost in memories, that I didn't hear him come in. "I forgot how good my name looked across your back," he chuckled from the doorway. I gasped a curse, spinning around and almost dropping the frame. "Sorry, love," he smiled, walking up to me. I was hugging the picture and he reached for it. I handed it to him. He was dressed in jeans and a dark blue button down with a gray tee underneath.

"I know where these are going," I smiled, pointing around the room. "You won't lose this."

"As long as I get this," he held up the frame, "I don't care." I could see he wasn't talking about the picture itself. I nodded and smiled. "Hungry?" He asked, setting the picture down.

"Yeah." I looked around one more time. "What time is it?"

"Only eight," he said as I followed him to the kitchen. "Here, best bagels ever." He handed me a bag and a cup of coffee.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"Come sit," he smiled, grabbing his own bag. We went to my chaise. Oh yeah, staking claim to that thing. I laughed to myself and sat down. "What's funny?"

"We are _so_ taking this thing," I cracked up. "And don't ask where it's going…no idea, just let me."

His smile was adorable and he nodded, kissing my head. He turned on the TV and we ate in comfortable silence shoulder to shoulder, our legs tangled. "What are you taking, baby?" I asked, looking up at him. "Not that it matters to me what you bring, but it's still your stuff."

"I'll want my books, clothes, music…this thing, of course," he smirked, patting the arm of the chaise, and I laughed, my head falling back. I felt a kiss to my neck. "My ads from my office…" He stopped and eyed me for a moment. "I got a call this morning," he sighed. "That's why I was up so early. I start my job the Monday of your meeting."

"Edward," I gasped, smiling. "Good for you!" I kissed his cheek and he leaned into it, chuckling.

"I'll have Joshua bring up the boxes when we get back from taking the cars," he nodded like he was thinking out loud. "Do you still want me? After my behavior last night?" The question was so sudden, that I almost misunderstood him.

"Are you bringing that behavior with you?" I snorted, turning around in the chair to sit in front of him.

"No, of course not," he frowned, shaking his head.

"Because if you did, I'd still take you, but I'm afraid you would be bruised from all the pinching," I sighed, folding my arms across my chest. He looked at me, stunned. "Yes, I still want you, silly Edward." I reached over and pinched his leg, laughing as he jumped. I found myself pinned at the opposite end of the chaise, writhing under Edward's tickling hands.

We were breathless, wrapped around each other. "You should get ready, love," he smiled, kissing my neck. "Alice is always…"

"Hey guys," Alice sang as she and Jasper walked on into Edward's apartment.

"Early," he snorted, sitting up from me. "Ali, you can't knock?"

"You gave me a key," she retorted. I giggled at Edward's exasperated sigh. "God, Bells, you still have that shirt? You should get rid of it, update…"

"Not a chance in hell," Edward and I said together.

"Ali, that shirt…" Jasper snorted, "Is just about the only thing she will kill over." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Let that piece of her wardrobe go."

"I love you, Jazz," I snickered, getting up and kissing his cheek. "You're my hero."

"Love you too, baby girl," he smiled, ruffling my hair. "Go get ready, I'll hold her off of that shirt as long as I can…" He wrapped his arms around Alice like she was fighting him and she just snorted at the two of us, rolling her eyes. Edward chuckled, leaning back in the chaise.

I took a quick shower and dressed in jeans like everyone else. "Bells," Alice came into Edward's room, plopping down on the bed. "How did it go last night?"

"He beat himself up this morning," I sighed, "but, he'll be fine. I'll be glad to get him home. Oh! He got the job!" Alice's squeal pierced my ear drums and she flew from the room. "Edward!" She beamed, jumping on him. He was still in the chaise, watching TV, and he caught her before she could land on something painful. Jasper was sitting on the sofa, looking at her like he didn't know her. "You got the job."

"Yeah, Ali," he chuckled as she hugged him tight.

"Congrats, bro," Jasper smiled, getting up to bump his fist.

"Rat," Edward growled, but winked at me. I just shrugged, pulling my hair up into a ponytail.

"I'm proud, sue me," I laughed. "I'm ready." They all got up and we went down to the garage.

Alice and Jasper followed us in her car to the train station. We were putting the cars on to head south, taking the el train back downtown. We talked about the move as we rode back. Alice and Jasper had the same discussion we did about what of hers was going and just where to put it. I sighed, looking out the window of the train.

"What's wrong, love?" Edward asked and I looked up at all of them. They were watching me.

"Jasper, what do you have planned for the future?" I asked, looking at my brother. "I mean, do you want to run the beach house forever?"

He smiled and it looked like it was in relief. "Em's gonna be pissed he missed this conversation…" He chuckled. "He and I talked about starting our own construction business, Bells, but we know you needed us. Why do you ask?"

"I did…" I sighed, "I did need you…in more ways than I can tell you, but you're getting married, Jazz. You need your own thing, not mine." I looked out the window again. "I think I'm gonna close it."

"The inn?" Alice asked, her mouth hanging open. I looked at her and nodded. "The bar too?" She asked and I nodded again, biting my lip.

"I'll keep it," I sighed, looking up at Edward and back to Jasper. "I can't bear to let it go…you guys live there as long as you want. But, I kept busy for reasons I don't need anymore."

"Are you sure, love?" Edward asked, tilting my head up with the tips of his fingers on my chin.

"Yeah," I smiled. "I'll talk to Em when we get back. We should all sit down."

"Ok, Bells," Jasper nodded, looking at Alice. "There it is," he snorted. "Eddie finally did it," he laughed, looking at Edward. "I knew when you two got back together she would shut it down." I snorted and looked out the window again as we pulled into a stop.

"This is where we get off," Edward stood and we followed. "Alice, where did you want to eat?"

"Antonio's," she beamed, linking her arm through Jasper's. "Come on."

Edward lagged behind them. "Bella, are you sure?" He asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"Yup," I nodded, leaning into him. "I worked because I didn't have you, Edward. I stayed busy so that I could collapse at the end of the day and not cry myself to sleep." I stopped on the sidewalk and looked up at him. "I missed you…with all that I had, I missed you. And I have you back and I want time with you…" I smiled up at him. "I want to teach and come home and cook for you. I want to watch TV at night curled up with you. I don't want to bartend any more or worry about guests. If we go to the beach house, I want it to be for Jake or the water…not because we _have_ to."

He reached up and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. He didn't say anything, but just stared at me lovingly. "Marry me," he whispered, his breath catching. "I want all of that with you and then some. Please, say you'll marry me."

"Edward," I breathed, not able to say much else.

"Please, Bella," he grasped my shoulders, pressing his forehead to mine. "I know this is a weird time and I don't even have a ring, but I need to hear it…I need to know." He paused, the silence from me just spurring his rant. "We don't have to do it right away, just say you want it, say you'll be my wife."

"Yes," I nodded, still in shock. His arms wrapped around me and I found myself being lifted.

"Yes?" He beamed, kissing my face everywhere he could get to.

"Yes," I giggled, running my fingers through his hair. He kissed me with everything that he had, and I was glad that he was holding me. My legs would have buckled.

"Are you guys coming or what?" Jasper called out from down the sidewalk.

"Yes," we both laughed together. I added, "Do we tell them?" He set me on my feet, but his arms were still around me.

"I want to shout it to the world," Edward snickered, "there will be no hiding it."

"Then let's go," I smiled, taking him by the hand.

"What the hell was that all about…" Alice eyed us keenly. "That was a helluva kiss…wait a minute…you two are practically glowing…"

Jasper's head snapped back and forth between us, trying to see what Alice was seeing. All I could do was laugh at them. Edward chuckled, squeezing my hand.

"Talk to me, Bells," Alice raised an eyebrow at me. "Edward…" I walked up to her and whispered in her ear. "No! You're getting married?!"

"About damn time," Jasper snorted. "Just now?" He asked Edward.

"Yeah," he shrugged.

"Well, hell! Let's celebrate," Jasper laughed, wrapping his arms around me in a hug. "Walk with me, baby girl." He took my hand in his. "Now, we really have officially brought the Cullen twins to the dark side." He said, remembering my statement after Edward and I got back together. I laughed, leaning into him. "I'm so happy for you, sis," he whispered, kissing my head.

"But, Emmett's really gonna be pissed now," I muttered, looking up.

"Nah," Jasper smiled, stopping in front of the doors to the restaurant. "He's been praying for this for ages. He didn't care how it happened."

We sat and ate pizza, laughing at Edward's abrupt proposal, but I defended him. "No, it was perfect. Don't listen to my brother."

"I want to play all day," Alice beamed, "but I really have to start packing. We'll be rushed as it is."

"Yeah, you're right," Edward agreed, taking my hand. "Come on, love. Time to put you to work."

"Yay," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I squeaked when Edward pinched my bottom. "Ok, you brute, let's go," I smacked his arm.

He stopped at the lobby of his apartment and asked Joshua to bring up the boxes and we got to work. Joshua was even nice enough to bring stacks of newspaper to wrap with. I took the piano room, knowing that everything in there was coming with us. As I finished, I taped the boxes and labeled them, stacking them by the door. It was dark when I stacked the last box, marking it as fragile.

"Baby," I called, finding him in the bedroom, clothes all around him. "Damn, does Alice shop for you too?" I snorted.

"Yes, don't laugh," he smirked, but tossed a shirt at me. "A new one."

I unfolded it, smiling down at a NIU track shirt with Cullen on the back. "Oh, yeah," I beamed. "Alice will have to fight me for this one too," I snickered, looking up at him. "Thanks."

"If all my shirts put that smile on your face, I'd give them to you," he teased.

"Hmm, you shirtless," I mused, tapping my chin with a single finger. "I'd suffer, I guess," I sighed, but squealed as he pushed himself from the closet. I bolted down the hall and into the living room, running around the chaise. "Edward, wait," I giggled. "We have so much work," I reminded him, trying to keep him on the other side of the chair.

"All I want is to kiss my fiancé," he pouted.

"Jackass, that's unfair," I breathed, looking at him. My willpower with his choice of words just fell away.

"I know," he smiled, crawling over the chaise and kneeling on it in front of me, the back of it between us. "I can't help it."

"Me either," I shook my head, my fingers taking their place in his hair. I leaned against the chair, pulling him to me. My breath hitched at the taste of him. I moaned when his hands cupped my face, sliding back to pull me in deeper. I broke from his mouth, needing air. "We really have…so much…fuck, that feels good," I groaned as his tongue swirled below my ear. I could feel his smile. "Evil man," I teased. "God, Edward…"

"I want you," he breathed against my neck. "We'll get back to work, I promise."

"Ok, come here," I smiled, tugging him up by his shirt. I turned my back to the chair and pulled him around to me. He leaned into me, grinding against me with a moan. I ripped his shirt off over his head and he did the same to me. I reached for his belt, pulling it open and shoving his pants down. When he pushed my jeans over my hips, he groaned.

"I didn't pick those," he growled, pulling back to look at me. I was wearing a green set that reminded me of his eyes.

"I know," I smiled, pulling him in and capturing his mouth with mine. "I did," I breathed, feeling my bra fall loose and off of me. He pushed my boy shorts off and I stepped out of them. "Pick me up," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

His hands skimmed down my sides, his thumbs brushing over my nipples, to my bottom. He lifted me up and set me on the back of the chair, stepping between my legs. Perfect. "Yeah, the chair's coming with us," I smirked, but it fell off my face as he pushed into me.

"Definitely," his velvet voice rumbled in my ear. I gripped him to me with my arms and my hips met his rhythm. I leaned back and he held me with one hand, while the other cupped my left breast. His tongue circled around my left nipple, raising it to a painful point. My body couldn't help but pull him in.

"Shit, right there," I growled, my hips thrusting with his.

"You're close, baby," he smiled, pulling back to look at my face. He gripped my hips as I wrapped my arms around his neck again. I felt my walls contract and he moaned, burying his face in my neck. He reached between us, brushing his thumb over my nub.

"Edward," I cried out.

"Fuck," he growled, biting down on my neck and I came again with him.

Without pulling out of me, he lifted me up and sat down with me on the chair. His arms were around me, my face in the crook of his neck. "So much for just a kiss," I snorted. His laughter shook me and I pulled back to look at his face. He looked sheepish. "What?"

He reached up tracing the spot where he bit me. "Sorry," he looked up at me.

"Don't be," I giggled, not even bothering to look. "We have work…"

"Yeah, yeah," he smiled, kissing my lips and then the mark on my shoulder. "One track mind," he mumbled, smirking at me.

"Whatever," I waved him away, standing up. "You can stay here, I'll go home," I feigned heartbreak.

"Never," he frowned, pulling my face down for a quick kiss. I stood back up, smiling at him.

"Yeah…lovin' the chair, aren't you?" I laughed, getting dressed again. He chuckled and I handed him his clothes.

We worked way into the night, packing up his things, only to collapse into bed fully clothed. The next morning, Alice called to wake us up, telling us that the truck was already loading her stuff. We grumbled and got up, but set to work to finish. While I showered, Edward went and got us coffee and bagels.

He was sleepy, but adorable when he walked back in. "Baby," I smiled, "you should donate this stuff to a women's shelter. You know, the stuff you aren't taking."

"Ok, love," he smiled, sitting next to me at the counter. We were waiting on the movers to arrive.

"And I feel sorry for the movers with that piano," I shook my head. "Otherwise, this will be an easy move for them." There was a knock on the door as I said that last thing.

"They got it up here," he smiled, walking to the door, "they can get it down." I snickered at his boyish face.

EPOV

I opened my door, expecting the movers, but Tanya stood in my doorway. "Tanya," I frowned, looking at her. "What are you doing here?" She was already drunk, her strawberry blonde hair messy, her clothes disheveled. She looked older, the drinking starting to show on her.

"It's nice to see you too, Eddie," she snorted. She reeked of alcohol already. "I heard you kicked the bitch out," she laughed, walking past me into the kitchen. "I thought you might want to celebrate."

"It's nine in the morning," Bella snorted and I smiled at her lack of ability to filter things. It was one of my favorite things about her. Tanya glared at her, a sneer rising up on her mouth.

"Tanya…meet my _fiancé_, Bella," I smiled, winking at her. "Bella, this is Tanya," I eyed the bottle she was pulling from her purse and my Bella fought her smile.

"Fiancé?" Tanya looked up at me and then to Bella. "Hmm…Bella…Bella…" She thought for a moment. "Holy shit, the high school sweetheart!" She blurted out. "Well, shit!" She laughed. "No old time sake booty call for me."

Bella fought her laugh, turning it into a cough. "Nor would there have been, Tanya," I shook my head.

"What the hell is wrong with your apartment, Ed?" She slurred, looking around. "You're moving?" For a spit second, she was hurt, but she shook it off.

"Yeah," I sighed, already exhausted from dealing with her.

"New apartment?" She asked, looking up at me.

"No, new state," I smiled over at Bella, who wasn't laughing anymore. A knock on my door jarred us.

"I'll get it," Bella said softly, squeezing my hand as she walked by. She let the movers in, showing them what needed to go. They groaned at the site of the piano.

"Where, Edward?" Tanya asked, watching the guys come in.

"Florida," I answered, running a hand through my hair.

"You're following Alice?" She asked, her mouth open.

"No, I'm following Bella. Alice just happens to be marrying her brother."

"Excuse me, Edward?" Bella grimaced for interrupting, "The guys have a question about the piano…I'm sorry."

I answered their question about liability for loss of tuning and came out to find Tanya pouring herself a drink. "Tanya, you should go. And let me call a cab…"

"Don't do me any favors, Edward," she snapped, downing the drink and pouring another one. "You should drive me," she poked my chest, batting her eyes at me.

"Well, that's impossible," Bella shrugged. "The car is already in transport." I saw the look on Bella's face. It was the same look she used to get when talking to her mother on the phone. "Please, let us call you a cab."

"_Us_," Tanya hiccupped. "Well, you are just as perfect as he said you were."

"No, not perfect," Bella's head shook. Her patience was awe inspiring. "Far from it, actually." I wanted to argue with her, but thought better of it. Bella was saving me again.

"And modest…fuck…the rest of the world doesn't stand a chance now that you've taken him back," Tanya laughed bitterly. "He called your name out…did he tell you? With other women…in his sleep…"

"Tanya, that's enough!" I growled.

"No," Bella sighed, "he didn't. But it doesn't matter…"

"I imagine not to you…but to the rest of us…" Tanya huffed a laugh.

I couldn't take it anymore. With a pained look at Bella, I left the apartment, slamming the door behind me.

BPOV

I watched as Edward walked out of the apartment. He was hurt and embarrassed. That alone made me snap. I had always protected him. This time I didn't see it coming.

"Look, Tanya," I smiled, but it felt more like a sneer. I picked up the bottle that she had brought with her, tipping it over in the sink. "You're done here."

"Bitch, that shit is expensive."

"Well, you can buy more…but you have to _leave_ in order to do so," I frowned, folding my arms across my chest. "But, you might need help," I shrugged. "Just a guess."

"I can't believe it," she shook her head. "I fought your ghost for years. He acted mad at you, but no one…_not one person_ was good enough. He compared us all."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I know the feeling." I walked her to the door and opened it. Closing it behind me, I guided her to the elevator. As we rode down, I said, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" She looked over at me, tears spilling from her eyes.

"It was my fault…why he was like that…all my fault," I shook my head. "But, I love him."

"Yeah, we all did." She snorted, stepping out of the elevator with me.

"And yet you come here to hurt him…I wonder," I frowned. She stopped in front of me and locked gazes with me.

"He was right about one thing…you do protect him…you look like you want to hit me."

"I don't like him hurt…I did enough of that myself," I sighed, looking past her to Joshua.

"Miss Swan," Joshua smiled.

"Hi, Joshua," I smiled back. "Will you please call a cab for Tanya? And make sure she gets in it…" I raised an eyebrow at him. I handed him a few bills to pay for it.

"My pleasure," he smiled, pulling out a phone and guiding Tanya to a chair. "He's at the park…" Joshua whispered. "Take a left, you'll see the gates two blocks down." I smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "He used to go there…" he shrugged. "Lauren…she drove him crazy." I snickered and nodded.

"Thanks," I smiled. "Tanya, good luck…"

"Congrats, Bella," Tanya waved without looking up.

I walked out of the building, running smack into Jasper and Alice. "Good, go upstairs and watch the movers…please?"

"What happened?" Alice asked and I looked over at Tanya sitting by the lobby desk. "She didn't just show up…" She gasped, frowning, and I nodded.

"Yeah, leave her…go…movers…I need to get to him," I begged, barely able to keep my feet still.

"Ok, ok," Jasper smiled, tugging Alice away towards the elevators.

I took the left and Joshua was right, the park was on the second block I crossed over. I stopped at the gate, scanning the small block size park. It was mid morning and the trees cast shade over everything, making it hard to see him. He was sitting on a bench, his arms on his knees, shredding a leaf into a million little pieces. As I walked to him, he picked another leaf, starting the whole process over.

"What did that leaf ever do to you?" I asked, sitting next to him. He didn't answer, just picked another one, shrugging. I looked around the park, watching a little boy run and laugh. A sharp breeze cut through and the sound of the trees was soothing. I looked back to Edward. "It's really pretty here."

He nodded, sitting back and looking around. His jaw was still clenched and he leaned back with his elbows on the back of the bench. I saw the defense in his posture. He was embarrassed at what Tanya had revealed. He just didn't know he wasn't alone.

So I decided to talk, even though he wouldn't look at me. "When I dated Peter," I sighed, looking at my hands, "he was the first one after you…I told you I kept him at arm's length, but I didn't tell you why…" I looked up at the canopy of trees and then over to the little boy that was now splashing in the fountain. "I tried to be honest with him, tell him what had happened. He was kind and never pushed. The first time we…were together…I sobbed, calling for you…" I stood up and walked a few steps. "Jasper told me that I cried in my sleep after that…even more so after Charlie died. Always your name…" I leaned against a tree and sank down to a crouch, picking a few blades of grass. "My brothers begged me to call you…I think Jasper called Esme, I don't know…he never would tell me. Anyway," I sighed. "Peter was…too nice for his own good," I smiled, shaking my head. "He said he'd take me…but, after that…" I frowned. "I just let him get further and further away." I waited, but he didn't say anything. I had to let him lead on this.

"She's gone, Edward," I sighed, starting to stand. "I had Joshua call her a cab. Ali's at the apartment. Take all the time you need," I didn't look at him as I started to walk back.

"Bella, wait," his voice was soft. "Don't go."

"It wasn't just you, baby," I sighed. "It happened to me too. I did that to both of us. It's guilt I live with every day…even though I'm not allowed to apologize for it anymore." I couldn't look at him, but I heard him walking to me, the grass swishing under his feet. I felt his arms wrap around me, his face in my hair. "I'm sorry she came by, I saw the alcohol talking and I didn't react quickly enough…"

"Don't," he whispered, his lips pressed to the back of my head. "She was right, I did compare everyone to you…and no one was good enough…"

"It's ok," I shook my head and turned in his arms. "Let it go…we have to," I closed my eyes, willing my tears to go away, but they came anyway. I pressed my face into his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. He pressed kisses to the top of my head, running his fingers down my back.

"How'd you get her to leave?" He asked, trying to pull me back to look at me, but I clung to him.

"I poured her bottle down the drain," I sniffled, smiling at his quiet laughter that shook me. "Can we get this fucking move over with?" I teased, sniffling again. "I need you home…"

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled, squeezing me closer.

"Come on, baby," I smiled, looking up at him finally. "Let's finish this…and this," I pointed around us, "will never be mentioned again, I promise."

Edward nodded, looking around us and dragging in a rough breath. "I didn't want you to know about that…you blame yourself already." He looked back at me, touching my cheek with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, I get it," I nodded, deciding to sit down. He looked like he needed to talk this out. I sat on the bench and patted the seat. He joined me and I put my legs in his lap so I could see his face. "I…I don't want you to be…embarrassed," I sighed, frowning up at him. "Rose dated a man that would cry for his mother when he would come," I snorted, shaking my head. "That's infinitely worse."

His chuckle started low, but when he snorted, he lost it. I drank in his features when he laughed. He looked over at me. "Thanks for the perspective," he smirked.

"Yeah," I smiled. "It's my job." I shrugged, "Let's go, baby, this is ours…it's gonna stay that way. Besides, I want make sure they don't forget my damn chair!" I smirked, linking my fingers with his as we walked out of the park.

"They better not," he snickered, kissing my head.

We walked back into the building and Joshua smiled. "I made sure your guest was safely in a cab, Miss Swan."

"You're the best, Joshua," I smiled.

"I was afraid to get her near open flame, though," he mused, his smirk firmly in place.

"I don't blame you, Joshua," Edward snorted as we stepped onto the elevator.

We walked into the apartment to see Alice in a standoff with one of the movers. He was a huge man, dwarfing her. "Why that chair and not the sofa…you have to be wrong…"

I laughed, really loud. "It goes," Edward and I snorted.

"Relax, Ali," I smiled. "Don't attack the poor man, he won't know what hit him" I turned to the mover. "She's deadly, don't let the size fool you."

"I bet," he chuckled, "I had no doubt. So it goes?"

"Yeah," Edward smiled and nodded.

Alice huffed, folding her arms across her chest and sitting on a stool at the counter. Jasper just looked up from his newspaper, shaking his head. "What the hell did the lush want?" Alice snapped, looking at her brother.

"To celebrate the dismissal of Lauren," he snorted, leaning against the counter. "But, she met Bella instead."

"Oh hell," Jasper and Alice groaned. Jasper smiled, not looking up from his paper.

"Damn," I sighed, "you would think I was a menace the way you two act."

"Oh, no," Jasper snorted. "Not menace…just a little protective." I shrugged, not bothering to argue. "Eddie, what's the plan now?" He asked, closing the paper. "The truck is loaded, we don't leave until tomorrow…"

"Well, I need to call someone to pick the rest of this stuff up…Bella said a women's shelter."

"Oh, good idea," Alice nodded, turning around to look at her brother. "Mom will be happy nothing gets thrown away."

"Yeah," Edward smiled. "Maybe she knows who to call." He pulled out his phone and walked into the other room.

"What happened?" Alice whispered, looking worriedly at me.

"Tanya was trashed," I sighed. "He was tired and frustrated with her…" I shrugged, not giving much more than that. "So, I poured her bottle out and walked her downstairs. That's where I ran into you guys," I smiled. "Thanks."

"You what?" Alice laughed. "Shit, I bet she went off! She takes her alcohol seriously."

"She tried," I laughed.

I looked around the apartment. The movers were grabbing the last of the boxes and the piano was already gone. All that was left was a chair here and there, a few bookcases, and Edward's bedroom furniture. I had so much that we had decided that he should pass it on to someone who might need it. However, his bedding was on the truck. He had protested, but I wanted to turn our room at home into something that was more us than me.

"Mom's calling for us, Ali," Edward said, walking back into the room. "She said we didn't need to be here for it."

"Ok," Alice nodded.

"She's invited us over, if everyone is up for it," he smiled, setting his phone on the counter.

"Definitely," I smiled, always willing to see Esme.

"Hell yeah," Jasper nodded, smiling.

"I figured," Edward chuckled. "So I told her we were on our way. Let's go," he grabbed his keys and phone. I smiled when he wrapped his arm around me, kissing my head. "I love you," he whispered in my ear as we walked to the elevator. I looked up at him with a soft smile. He was still recovering from Tanya's outburst.

As we rode down, Alice beamed over at me. "Ooh, we get to tell Mom all about another wedding," she sounded like a child. Edward chuckled, but there was pride all over his face.

"Only if Carlisle is there," I nodded. "They should hear at the same time."

"Sure, love," Edward smiled. "He's at work, but she said he'd be there for dinner."

"Dinner it is," Jasper snickered, rubbing his hands together.

Alice and Jasper talked quietly on the train, sitting across from us. I looked out the window, the size of the city fascinating me. Edward leaned over, pointing out different landmarks. He set his chin on my shoulder, looking out with me. "Are you disappointed that I didn't have a ring?" He asked softly.

"No," I shook my head. "That's the least of my concerns," I smiled. "I know you…you'll fix that sooner or later. What prompted you…it was like you shocked yourself?"

"I don't know," he smiled and shrugged, placing his lips on my shoulder. "All that you said…it was everything I had been thinking. It was like our wants meshed at the same time." He smiled sweetly. "Before I knew it, I was blurting it out," he chuckled.

We were silent for a few stops, Edward tracing my palm. "Did you really have nightmares? You had them when Renee died, but…"

"Mmhm," I nodded, frowning.

"Emmett mentioned them…he told me about when Charlie died, but he never mentioned you calling for me," he sighed, pulling my hand up to kiss it.

"No, he wouldn't," I shook my head. "My brothers…as silly as they can be…have guarded me pretty closely since I moved to Florida. Emmett would sleep in my room on the couch to wake me up…"

"We're really stubborn people," Edward chuckled. "I should have just made Alice give me the phone."

"Don't I know it," I smiled. "Have you actually looked at all those pictures of yours?" I asked, giggling. His face was confused as he shook his head no. "When we get home…I'll show you…" He smiled and nodded.

"I'll hold you to that," he smiled, looking up at the next stop. "Come on, this is us." He held out his hand and I took it.

Esme flew out the door when we walked up. "I know, I know," she laughed, wiping tears away. "We just left you…but I missed you all!" We all snickered at her, hugging her tightly.

Her house was in just a big of disarray as Edward's apartment. There were boxes, full and empty, everywhere. I shook my head, thinking that they were all moving down to me. I couldn't have wished for anything better.

"There are sandwiches in the kitchen," she announced, wrapping her arms around me. "Go eat." Jasper and Edward didn't have to be told twice and Alice followed them. "I see your face, Bella, you can't seem to understand that you get us all back…"

I just stared at her stunned. "Ok, that's the scariest thing you've ever said to me."

"Why?" She laughed, kissing my cheek. "You practically have a neon sign on your forehead as you look at these boxes." She stopped and turned to the kitchen. "Don't you dare touch the wheat sandwich…that's Bella's."

"Shit! I told you she loved Bells more," Jasper whined from the other room. Edward laughed. "How come she gets a special sandwich?"

"Because she doesn't like white bread…if you didn't eat…say…mustard, I would make one for you. However, Jasper, there isn't anything you won't eat." Esme teased, winking at me.

"Oh yeah," Jasper snorted.

"Let's get that sandwich before the temptation is too much," she smiled at me.

We sat around the kitchen table as Esme told us how her move was going, but she was more interested in our weekend. We told her about staying up too late and packing on the fly, but she was over the top happy when Edward told her about his new job.

"Has Chicago Edward made an appearance?" She asked, laughing at Edward's sigh.

"Yes," Jasper, Alice and I scowled.

"Hmm," she smirked. "I think I would have paid money to see how that was handled."

"I'm sure," Edward rolled his eyes. "He's been threatened. He ran away scared." I laughed, shaking my head. He winked at me, popping a potato chip in his mouth.

By the time that Carlisle had come home, Esme was putting Jasper and Edward to work lifting the heavy stuff she couldn't. Alice and I started dinner. It was all I could do to keep Alice from blurting out the news of our engagement the second that Carlisle came in for hugs and kisses.

On more than one occasion I had to threaten her. "Alice, I swear to God…" I growled, holding a spatula up to smack her with it.

"Ah, the love," Carlisle chuckled. "It's nice to have the kids home. It's like we're still in Forks."

"Yeah, but Dad," Alice grinned, walking up to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What in the blue hell, Alice? Shut it!" I said through gritted teeth. "Keep it up…that stripper may show up early for your wedding!"

"You wouldn't!"

I raised my eyebrow at her, folding my arms across my chest. "Try me…Oh yeah…and Esme still needs to hear about my pajama situation from junior and senior year."

"Wow, Bells," Carlisle chuckled, "blackmail…I'm impressed. I don't want to know…but I'm impressed." He patted us both on the head and walked out of the kitchen.

"But, Dad…" Alice snorted.

"Esme!" I called, laughing.

"How old are you two?" Jasper asked as he and Edward came to lean in the door.

"You…" I pointed, "are one to talk. Stop your fiancé or the pajama secret hits the airwaves!"

"Fuck, Alice," Jasper jumped, grabbing her by the hand. He was whispering in her ear as they left me to the kitchen. "Hi, Mom," I heard from the other room. "Don't listen to anything Bella tells you…"

I snorted, turning around to see Edward still there, laughing. "She's special…" He snickered. "We never told her, but we think Dad dropped her."

"I heard that!" She yelled. I heard Jasper laugh and then the sound of skin on skin slapping. I giggled, pulling a plate down.

"What is wrong with all of you?" Esme giggled, walking in. "Here, Bells, let me finish." She took the spatula from me, plating the chicken I was frying.

"I think we're just tired, Mom," Edward smiled, winking at me. He couldn't wait to say something, I could see it in his face. The best part was, we knew that his parents, especially Esme, would be ecstatic.

"Punch drunk is more like it," she smiled. "Your dad's right…it's like being back in Forks…more energy than you kids knew what to do with." She turned and eyed us both. "Edward, help Bella set the table."

"Yes, ma'am," he smiled, grabbing plates down.

"Edward got the job, Carlisle," Esme beamed as we all sat back from the table full and content.

"Excellent, son," Carlisle smiled proudly.

"That's not all Edward got," Alice mumbled, snorting. Edward and I stared at her and I finally snapped.

"Hey, Mom," I laughed as Alice started hitting me. "Remember all those sleepovers?"

"Yeah," she smiled at her two girls.

"There's something…ouch…you should know…" I laughed, Alice pushing me off my chair. Jasper and Edward just chuckled.

"__," Alice blurted out.

"Alice," Edward and I sighed.

"No!" Esme gasped.

"Really?" Carlisle smiled, setting his fork down.

"Yes," we both nodded. I gave Alice one last shove.

Before we could blink, Esme had bolted around the table and wrapped us up in a hug. "I knew it!" She was a sobbing mess, which caused me to be a sobbing mess.

"Esme, Bells can't breathe," Carlisle chuckled. "Now, I'll never hear the end of it…she swore it would happen."

Esme let me go, kissing Edward's forehead. "When?" She beamed.

"We don't know yet," Edward smiled, taking my hand under the table. "We haven't got that far…it only happened today."

"Today? During all this moving?" Carlisle snorted.

"Yeah! That's what I said," Jasper laughed, but shut up when I raised an eyebrow at him.

"How?" Carlisle and Esme asked together.

"Apparently on the way to Antonio's…" Alice snorted.

"Mary Alice Cullen…let them talk…you already spilled the beans as it was," Esme corrected.

"Ooh, she called you by your full name," I teased.

"I'll never get any answers…Isabella, come with me." Esme sighed.

"Ha! Who's in trouble now?" Alice cracked up. The men just shook their heads at us.

I huffed a laugh and turned to Esme. "About those sleepovers…" I wrapped an arm around my future mother in law. There was a commotion at the table and I turned around. Jasper and Edward were holding Alice back with evil smiles on their faces.

"Bells, please…" She begged, trying to bite Jasper's arm.

"Stop…if you're talking about all the times Bella slept in Edward's room…" Esme started and we all froze. "Jasper, you're lucky we love you…"

"You should see all of your faces," Carlisle laughed.

"As many times as my boy needed pajamas…I started an investigation," Esme smiled. Jasper's face was pale white, Edward was covering his face to stop his laugh and Alice was sitting completely still. Esme turned to me. "Let's go."

We got to her room and I busted out laughing. "I have been threatening her with that forever…"

"As you should have," Esme giggled. "Their faces…" she gasped, trying to breathe. "I knew, sweetie…Edward's too sweet to have let you sleep on a couch."

"True," I smiled, "and that's how it began. He came downstairs to get a glass of water and found me about to smother Emmett with a pillow for snoring." We giggled again.

When our giggles calmed down, she asked, "So, what happened?"

I told her the story from the talk of closing the inn and bar to Edward's impromptu proposal. I even told her that he was a little shocked at himself, not even having a ring. "I don't care, though," I smiled, tucking my feet under me on her bed.

"No," she smiled, "I imagine not. Material things aren't the important things."

There was a knock at the door and Alice cracked the door open. "I can't believe you guys left me…" She bounded over to the bed and plopped down with us.

"You were being held hostage," I snorted.

"And for good reason…blurting news out like that…" Esme smirked at her daughter.

We sat on her bed talking and laughing until Alice and I were bleary eyed and yawning. "Boys?" Esme called. "Come take these girls back to the city, their exhausted."

I barely made it back to Edward's apartment. He wrapped me in his arms on the train and I slept. Somehow he guided me upstairs and into bed. The only thing I remember is mumbling, "We go home tomorrow, baby."

"Yes, love," Edward smiled against my neck.

"Good."

* * *

**A/N…Ok, so special thanks to Brits23...love you…always the best beta ever.**

**And here's an update for you…there are going to be 19 chapters and an epilogue. Now, before you try and beg me for more…I want to let you know that I will be starting the sequel to Broken Angel as soon as this story is through, so please stay tuned…Ok? You asked for it, some tried bribing…that was interesting…anyway, I'm giving it to you because the story seems to work. And Brits23 has agreed to beta for me…that alone is tremendously helpful.**

**So, review for me, please…**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N....I want to apologize for taking so long...my computer has been down and it is impossible to find someone with time for me! LOL**

**Anyway, I promise, my computer will be back in my possession as of Friday and I will update asap...**

**Ok, our fave couple is home from Chicago....**

* * *

CHAPTER 18

EPOV

"So wait a second…" Emmett growled. "Not only did I miss out on the whole James ass kicking festivities, but Eddie and Bells are getting married…I missed that shit too?" Jasper laughed, shrugging. Emmett turned to me. "I thought we were buds…bros…"

"Emmett," Rose smacked his arm. "Shut the fuck up! It's not all about you!"

We were all sitting on the deck, eating lunch. We had just driven back from the airport. Bella and I were leaving later that night to head to Tampa. My job started the next day and she had a meeting. We wouldn't be back to the beach house until Friday night.

Bella was sitting on my lap, giggling into my neck. "I told you he'd be pissed, Jazz," she snorted at her brother.

"Ok, I was so wrong," Jasper raised his hands. "Well, it's all or nothing…and Bells is closing the inn." Bella groaned and I chuckled, pulling her closer. She braced herself for Emmett's reaction.

"Well…that I get…" Emmett sighed. We stopped and looked at him. "What? She worked too damn hard."

"Rowl!" Charlie chastised from the table.

"Sorry, Charlie," I smiled, rubbing his head. "You tell Emmett to be quiet…he's disturbing your sleep." Bella snickered, reaching over to scratch Charlie's head. "He's coming with, right?" I asked, looking at my girl.

"Of course," she smiled. "How could you two possibly live without each other?" She teased.

"That's right," I smiled. "It's you and me, big guy."

Bella started to pull her hand away and Charlie reached up and put a paw on the top of her hand. "Mowm," he yawned.

"Yeah," Jasper laughed. "You may be his best friend, but she will _always_ be Mom." Everyone at the table laughed.

"Ok," Alice smiled. "So the cars come in tomorrow. Are you two car pooling?"

"Yeah," Bella smiled. "My meeting won't be all day, so I can drop you off and pick you up…is that ok?" I nodded, thinking it didn't matter how it worked out. "I don't actually start classes until the next Monday."

"And the only thing you're leaving here is a piano?" Emmett clarified. "When is that supposed to get here?"

"Wednesday," Alice smiled. "Edward will be working. Bells, do you want help with his stuff?"

"I'll help," Emmett smiled. "I'll have the drivers follow me after the piano and Ali's stuff is dropped off."

"Great, thanks, Em," Bella sighed, turning to me. "I'm not unpacking all of it," she raised an eyebrow at me. I laughed, kissing her hand.

"Except the chair," I teased. She laughed, shaking her head.

"Especially the chair," she purred in my ear. "We'll both unpack that."

"Ok," I smiled crookedly.

"Bells," Emmett snorted and we both snapped our heads up. "Last thing…your birthday is coming up…we want to party."

"You always want to party," she laughed, "but let me hear it."

"A Charlie-type cook out," he smiled, giving a fist bump to Jasper. "Here, the weekend of your birthday…"

"Fine," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "And you two…" she pointed to my sister and Jasper, "It's time for wedding stuff. Ali, bring the invites over and we'll get started. We're pushing it."

"I'll help," Rose smiled.

"Ok," Alice nodded. "Except for tomorrow, you have the rest of the week?" Bella nodded. "Good."

****

"Row-ool?" Charlie called from the backseat. I chuckled, because it sounded like a question. Charlie's version of "Are we there yet?"

"Relax, handsome," Bella giggled, "we're almost there." She reached back to scratch his head through the carrier. He had been pacing for the last few miles.

"I understand his impatience," I sighed. I was tired from the weekend in Chicago and still a little overwhelmed that Bella had accepted my sudden proposal. Not to mention the roller coaster of emotions that I had gone through with Ashley and Tanya. Bella had been my rock through it all and I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that she was still here and still wanted me.

My beautiful girl never even brought our conversation from the park back up. She had promised and kept her word. When she had started to tell me about Peter, my first thought was pure blinding jealousy, but as I watched her face while she described her pain, her crying out for me, I could see she was telling me I wasn't alone. I wanted to wrap her up, shelter her from the world and the guilt she felt the need to carry.

I pulled into the driveway with a sigh of relief and a touch of nerves that I didn't understand. We walked into the house, Bella releasing Charlie from his temporary imprisonment. I took our bags into the bedroom, setting them on the floor.

"You're awful quiet, Edward," Bella said softly, leaning against the doorway. I looked up at her and saw nothing but concern and patience.

"This weekend…" I shook my head. "I've never been so glad to see this place."

She nodded like she had expected as much. No one knew me like she did. It was comforting. She walked to me, reaching up to brush my hair from my forehead. "Why don't you go take a shower?" She smiled, kissing my cheek. "I'll make us something to eat. Bed picnic?"

"That's the best offer I've had in a long time," I smirked.

"Good," she laughed, turning me towards the bathroom. With a smack on my ass, she giggled, "Go!"

"Ok, ok," I chuckled.

My shower was soothing, but I still felt on edge. When I stepped out, I smiled at the pajamas that Bella must have brought in. I pulled on the navy blue pants, stepping out into the bedroom.

"Hey," she smiled from the bed. She was wearing pink pajamas with a white tank top. She looked like an angel. "Ok, so it's not gourmet," she snorted, "one of Jake's pizzas will have to do. Tomorrow, I'll go shopping."

"Ok," I smiled. I sat down, picking up a slice and taking a bite.

"_But_," she smiled, "look what's on…" She pointed to the TV.

"'_Breakfast Club'_," I laughed. "Nice." I don't think I could tell you how many times we have watched that movie. We would sit in my room late at night, because it always seemed to be on.

After devouring the pizza, we laughed at how we could practically quote the movie verbatim. Bella leaned against the headboard, putting a pillow in her lap and pulling my head down. "Relax, baby," she whispered, bending down to kiss my ear. "I've set the alarm for the morning."

I laid there for a few minutes, my eyes closing at the feel of her fingers running through my hair. Suddenly, there was something I needed to hear. I rolled over and stared up into her beautiful face. "I love you…tell me again," I begged, hearing the stress in my voice.

"What?" She asked, leaning down to kiss my nose. "That I love you until I think my heart will explode or yes, I'll marry you?"

"Yes," I breathed, reaching up to pull her face to mine. "All of it," I said against her lips.

She pulled away from me. "Edward Cullen, look at me," she frowned. "There's nothing about you that could scare me off…that I can't handle. I _do_ love you and I _am_ marrying you. Chicago Edward is dead and buried. I pushed the dirt in on him myself!"

I could barely refrain from kissing her again. Her eyes flashed and she was stunning, glaring down at me in exasperation.

Her gaze softened and she sighed. "This weekend didn't break us, baby. You're so tired," she smiled, tracing the dark patches under my eyes, "and you're starting a new job tomorrow. It's a lot to deal with, but if you will let me help you relax and stop silently panicking…you'll see it's not as bad as you think. _Please?_" She begged the last word.

She cupped my face, waiting for my answer. "Yes, ma'am," I smiled. "Thanks, love."

Mmhmm," she smirked at me, turning my face towards the TV as I chuckled at her. God, how I truly needed that, needed her. She resumed running her fingers through my hair and it wasn't long before I drifted off.

BPOV

I could read Edward like a book. I saw the nerves, the edginess to him. He was still dealing with the things we had gone through in Chicago. I didn't mention it, hoping he would bring it up himself, but I had made him a promise to keep quiet about it.

I was up before the alarm, letting him sleep a little longer. Our day would be busy, so I got started. I made coffee and fed Charlie, getting a text from Alice about Edward's car. I showered early, pulled on a t-shirt just to sit and check my emails, drinking a cup of coffee. The house was quiet, silent actually, so when I felt Edward's touch, I just about flew out of the dining room chair.

"Shit, baby," he laughed, "I'm sorry."

I looked up at him and smiled. The light was back in his eyes. Sleep had helped take a little of his stress level down. "Jesus, Edward, I'm gonna tie a bell around you," I teased, standing up to wrap my arms around his neck. "Morning, baby," I smiled as he picked me up and sat down in the chair with me on his lap. He was deliciously sleep rumpled. His hair was everywhere, his skin still had creases from the sheets.

He buried his face in the crook of my neck. "Thank you for last night, love," he mumbled against my skin.

"My job," I reminded him sarcastically. He smiled, kissing my lips quickly. "Do you want breakfast or just coffee?" I asked, brushing his hair back. He really did need a haircut. Soon it would be uncontrollable.

"I want you for breakfast," he smirked, his eyebrow rising and his hands slithering up my t-shirt.

"Too bad, big guy," I laughed, fighting his hands. "It's pushing time limits already…you haven't really seen rush hour around here." He pouted fabulously, but I wasn't breaking. "Oh and Alice texted me this morning, the cars will be here this afternoon. Do you want me to drop it off or just come and get you?"

"Just come and get me," he nodded. "I'll want to see you immediately."

"Ok," I smiled, standing.

We dressed, both of us blatantly ogling each other in our work clothes. Edward looked insanely hot in a charcoal gray suit with a crisp white button down shirt. His tie was a shiny deeper gray with small squares on it. If he had touched my ass one more time in my black pencil skirt, we would have both been late. He kissed me like crazy as I dropped him off at his new office.

Before I walked into my meeting, I texted Alice to just drop off the car. She was going to a second interview for Nordstrom's in Tampa anyway. She texted back quickly that she would and where she would hide the keys.

My meeting was boring and I could barely focus, thinking of all the ways I wanted to remove Edward's suit. We went over the same policies and procedures as always, greeted new teachers and acquired our lists of students. I needed to sit down and plan out my semester soon, but I reminded myself that I had time when Edward was at work the rest of the week. I also had to remind myself that I needed to find room in my house for all of his things coming in the day after next. That led to thoughts of our chair and I had to shake my head to clear it.

I left the school and hit the grocery store. I needed to get everything. When I pulled into the driveway, I felt my breath catch at the site of Edward's car. It looked perfect there, like it had always belonged there. With a laugh, I took a picture of it next to my truck and sent it to Edward's phone. I got a response instantly.

**E: Fuck, if that isn't a beautiful site…**

**B: Yeah, I thought so…see you in an hour.**

**E: I can't wait…since I didn't get the breakfast I wanted, can I have you for dinner?**

I couldn't help the groan that escaped me as I read the last message standing in my kitchen.

**B: You're evil. And no, I'm cooking for you…dessert on the other hand…**

I sent that message off with a smile and set about marinating chicken for fajitas, so all that I would have to do was cook it when we got back.

**E: This will be the longest hour of my life.**

Once I had all the groceries put away and dinner pre-prepared, it was time to go pick him up. I watched him walk out of his office, his jacket thrown over his shoulder and his tie a little loose. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off his forearms. He ran a hand through his hair and shoved it into his pocket.

I stepped out of the truck to let him drive and his eyes met mine. Crossing the distance between us with long strides, his hand came out of his pocket, reaching for me. He threaded it into my hair and before I knew it, he had me pressed against the side of my truck. His lips were urgent and an all out assault. With groans and gasps, we kissed hard, tongues twisting.

"How was your day, honey?" I teased, breathing heavy.

"Fuck, I missed you today," he growled, resting his head against mine. But, his smirk was firmly in place when his eyes finally locked on mine. "Can we start with dessert?"

"Get in and drive, Edward," I giggled.

We did, indeed, start with dessert, barely making it to the couch in the living room. I pulled him on top of me by his tie and his hand snaked up my skirt as he sang _"Hot For Teacher"_ in my ear as I laughed.

Donning his shirt, I cooked dinner and we sat on the couch, feeding each other. He was wearing just his underwear, his hair everywhere. He turned to me and set his empty plate on the coffee table. "I'm sorry about last night, love," he sighed, toying with the buttons of his shirt on me.

"I wasn't worried about it, baby," I smiled.

"I know," he nodded, smiling slightly. "I just…was…you were right, panicking. I thought maybe Chicago was too much." He looked up at me through his long eyelashes.

"Nope," I shook my head. "You're here, mission accomplished…everything…no, every_one_ else be damned." I studied his face for a moment. "If you want to talk about it, we can…but, Edward…I've told you before…I know you…and I'm not easily intimidated by other women. I suppose that comes from saving you all the time…" I smirked.

His smile was glorious and he nodded. He did want to talk about it and we cleaned up our dishes together, talking about it. We ended up in bed, lights off, and he told me how it really was for him. He did compare everyone to me and called Tanya by my name. He told me that she was pissed and hit him when he did it. I didn't say much, but just listened. He told me that after that was when he became the Chicago Edward we all joked about. He became cold and callous, treating the women that entered his life terribly _because_ they weren't me. He told me that Tanya was right, he did try to hate me, but really he just missed me and took it out on everyone.

He asked questions about Peter, making sure that he didn't hurt me or get upset with me and I assured him that Peter was too kind to do that. I told Edward that Peter was my first and last attempt at a nice man, that it was too close for comfort. I told him that I had met Peter in college and he was in my English class as a poetry major. Edward chuckled, saying a poetry major sounded _too _nice. I laughed, but reminded him that he played the piano for God's sake. We ended up making love, holding onto each other tightly.

EPOV

"Good Morning, Peggy," I smiled at our front desk receptionist.

"And just who was that pretty little thing that picked you up yesterday?" She asked, eying me keenly.

"My fiancé, Bella," I smiled, one of those big goofy smiles I couldn't control.

Peggy was a sharp woman in her late fifties and had been with Marcus since the beginning. She had dark brown graying hair and hazel eyes that seemed to always shine with mischief.

"Hmm, you're not proud or anything," she snorted. "So much for introducing you to my niece," she muttered, shrugging.

She had almost completely lost the filter from her brain to her mouth. She was fantastic and helped me settle in immediately.

"Peg, leave him alone," Marcus scolded from behind her. "It worries me how many times you have tried to pawn off that niece of yours." I chuckled as she rolled her eyes at me. "What's wrong with her anyway?"

She mumbled something about a librarian and too many cats. Marcus raised an eyebrow at me. "Thank you anyway, Peggy," I snickered at the two of them.

"Come on, Edward, we have too many people to introduce to you today," Marcus smiled, walking into his office and I followed.

It was a long day, meeting current clients and a few potential ones. Marcus showed me who I would be taking over and who he liked to deal with himself, but would want another opinion with.

It was on the way back from a lunch meeting that I received a text from Bella.

**B: I love you, but fair warning…your sister has turned our house into wedding central.**

I smiled at the words "our house."

**E: Ok…love you too. You girls behave.**

**B: Damn, and we were going to interview male strippers today. LOL**

**E: The only male you need to see strip is me!**

**B Promise? ;)**

I laughed, shaking my head. "When's the wedding?" Marcus asked from the driver's seat, breaking me out of my bubble.

"No date yet," I sighed. "Hell, I haven't even bought the ring yet. It was all kind of…sudden."

"Well, then you'll love where we're stopping next," he laughed. "Suncoast Jewelers was one of my first clients. Felix has an amazing talent for matching the perfect gift with just asking a few questions, but I have to warn you…he's…um, a character. Don't let him scare you."

"Ok," I snorted, my eyebrows rising.

I really liked Marcus. He was pushing forty, but acted like he never left his twenties. I think that helped with his success, people liked him. He kept them calm and comfortable.

We pulled into a small strip mall. Before we even got to the door, it was thrown open. "Marcus, you sexy thing…how's the wife?" A tall thin man beamed at him. He was wearing a dark suit with a pink button down shirt. His face looked hopeful that Marcus' wife was non-existent.

"Still beautiful, Felix, she loved the earrings," Marcus said, reaching out to shake his hand.

"Of course she did…did you doubt me?" Felix countered, pouting slightly. His eyes slid to me. "Holy God, did you bring me an early Christmas present?"

"No, Felix," Marcus laughed, turning to raise an eyebrow at me. "This is my new marketing guy, Edward Cullen…"

"It's nice to meet you." I tried not to laugh.

"Mm, nice, indeed," he ogled me with a raised eyebrow.

"Retract your claws, Felix," Marcus smiled. "Edward is betrothed…_to a woman_…and needs a ring."

"What a waste," Felix huffed, showing us into his shop. "Oh well, I can at least take his money." He mumbled something about taking anything I gave him and I snorted.

"Felix," Marcus warned.

"Fine, fine," Felix sighed dramatically. "Tell me about her…" He asked a few questions like when we met, what she looked like. A few answers were easy, some I had to give some thought to. "Come here, loverboy," Felix sighed, pulling out a few rings from the display case. "This is what I'm thinking…" He held out a set that was perfect. It was stunning, simple, elegant. It was everything my Bella was. It was platinum with inset diamonds and a matching band.

"Yeah," I nodded with a half smile, turning to Marcus. "You were right." Marcus chuckled, slapping my back.

"Oh Marcus, you were talking about me again?" Felix beamed, folding his hands under his chin and batting his eyes. "There _is_ still hope for us."

"Whatever gets you through the day, Felix," Marcus muttered. "Ring my boy up…would you?"

For the rest of the day, I familiarized myself with files and campaigns. The little black box on my desk kept drawing my attention. I debated over and over on giving it to her immediately or waiting until her birthday. The selfish side of me wanted it on her ASAP. I tucked it into the pocket of my jacket as I left for home.

I walked into the house, hearing the familiar giggles of my girls. "Edward!" They all sang.

"Ladies," I smiled, walking up to the dining room table. It was strewed with samples and envelopes and invitations. "You weren't kidding," I snorted, kissing Bella and sitting down next to her. She just smiled and nodded.

"Damn, Edward," Rose snorted. "You look like GQ in that suit."

"He better," Alice growled. "Been picking out his clothes his whole life. Mom wanted us to match…not a chance in hell."

"What?" Bella laughed. "Is that a twin thing?"

"Yes," I laughed, shaking my head. "How's it going?" I asked, pointing to the table.

"Well, we picked out the stripper," Rose laughed.

My head snapped around to Bella and she fell into me giggling. "She's kidding Edward," she guffawed. "We're going dancing instead…though there's no telling what Emmett has planned for you guys."

"True," I sighed. "How'd the second interview go, Ali?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Good," she beamed. "I think I got it. They are making their final decision this week."

"Nice," I smiled.

"Are you guys coming down this weekend?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Bella smiled, looking over at me.

"Sure, Rose, but we'll need to be home Sunday," I smirked.

"What's Sunday, baby?" Bella looked confused.

"You have a bet to fulfill," I frowned. I wanted her all to myself before she started work. It was all I could do not to laugh at her shocked face for mentioning our bet in front of my sister and Rose. "Remember?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah," she breathed, her eyes glazed over. "Um…what…um, yeah." At that stutter, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Good," I smiled, kissing her head and standing. "Ladies, I'll leave you to your planning."

As I walked from the room-- needing to hide her ring-- I heard the girls descend on her like vultures. "What the hell is he talking about, Bells?" Alice asked.

"What bet did you fucking lose, Bells?" Rose snorted.

"Um, nothing…just…never mind…jackass," she growled. "Paybacks, Cullen!"

I laughed, shutting the bedroom door.

BPOV

"Emmett, put me down!" I laughed as he swung me around. "It's only been a few days…how will you survive until the weekend?" I teased.

"Shit, I don't know, Bells," he chuckled, setting me on my feet. "Now, where's all my boy's stuff going?"

We spent the better part of the day shuffling my stuff around. We discovered that Edward's chair fit in the living room just fine as long as we rearranged everything else. That thought made me smile. The color wasn't too much of a contrast with what I had in there anyway. I angled it into the corner with a lamp behind it.

Boxes were everywhere, making it difficult to move around, but the site of it all made me smile. Once all the heavy stuff was moved around, Emmett headed back to the beach house, looking forward to Friday when we would come to stay overnight.

I took the first few hours alone, organizing our clothes. Everything else could be done later. I shuffled drawers and rearranged the closet and his things mixed with mine very well. Empty boxes piled outside on the carport.

I texted him to let him know that if he wanted his books and music in a certain order, that he would have to do it without me. He called me back, laughing and saying he didn't care.

It was the pictures I saved for last, opening them with care and leaning them along the wall by the piano. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I wanted him to help.

The things from his office stayed packed. He had mentioned something about taking them to work, so I left them alone.

"Damn, if _you_ haven't been busy," Edward gawked when he walked into the house. I just sighed, collapsing on the bed.

"Yes, I have…you better appreciate it, mister," I sighed, smiling up at him as he laid down beside me.

"The chair looks good, love," he smirked, his voice wicked.

I giggled, shaking my head. "Figures that's what you would notice."

"I can't help it, it was the best part of the weekend," he shrugged, leaning down to kiss me.

"Mmm, true," I smiled, running my fingers through his hair. "Hey, you got it cut," I noted, sitting up.

"Yeah," he smiled crookedly, pulling his tie off. "Marcus left early for his kid's play and I took a lunch by myself."

"It looks good," I smiled, playing with it. When it was shorter, it stuck up in every direction, making him look even more sex ravaged than before.

"Will you do me a favor?" He asked, looking up at me. I nodded, still unable to stop from touching his hair. "No cooking tonight, let me go pick something up…and then," he smiled softly, "you promised to show me something about my pictures."

"Oh yeah," I smiled, kissing his smooth forehead. "Ok, sure." I watched him change clothes into shorts and a t-shirt. He was gone for about thirty minutes and I kissed him for bringing Cuban sandwiches. He even remembered the plantains.

"Easy to please," he mumbled, smirking as he sat down at our table.

"Starving!" I laughed. "I don't think I stopped today." I popped a plantain in my mouth with a smile. He chuckled, kissing my lips quickly.

We ate in comfortable silence, but I could see him eye the pictures lining the walls. I knew he would ask, so I had set a few examples together. "Show me," he smiled, pointing to them when we were done.

"'Kay," I sighed. "It's kind of sad, baby, we were so stubborn," I snorted.

I picked up the stack I had set aside. I lined them up on the table and let him look at them. I gave him a second, but his eyes met mine in confusion. "Look, Edward," I pointed to each picture. I pointed to him staring at me, me staring at him. I showed him hands gripping hands, clothes, shoulders. The longing on our faces was unmistakable. "We knew…we never said a thing…" I looked up at him and the realization was painful. He stared at the last picture of us our last summer and it clicked.

He looked up at me, his face was unreadable. "Oh God," he breathed. "Our whole lives, Bella…" I nodded, cupping his face. He leaned into it, looking at the pictures again. "I…" he started, "wouldn't change a thing," he shook his head. "Don't move," he frowned, standing up from the table. He came back, sitting back down and pulling me onto his lap. "I was going to wait, but…I can't…I just _can't_, love." His voice broke, filled with emotion. "Here."

He handed me a little black box, opening it for me. He kissed my ear, whispering as I stared at the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. "I wouldn't change anything, baby. Please know, that," he kissed my neck. "From being tackled by you," I sniffled a laugh through the tears that were now coursing down my face, "to every time you came to my rescue," he breathed, leaning his forehead to my temple. "Everything about our lives…it makes us who we are…_right now_."

He carefully pulled out the ring and slid it on my finger. It didn't even need to be sized. "Fuck, if that isn't the best sight ever," he smiled, kissing my ring and then my palm. My silence and tears were worrying him. "Do you like it?" He asked, looking up at me.

"Edward," I whispered, "it's just…" I kissed his mouth hard, "perfect. When?"

"Yesterday," he shrugged, "I was going to wait until your birthday, but I guess I can get you something else…" He smiled crookedly.

"No," I shook my head, "this is a lifetime of birthdays." And he did his innocent sexy ass smile that I couldn't resist. His head tilted just right, looking up at me like the twelve year old I had loved the minute I saw him. I lost it. With a sob, I crashed into him.

I grabbed Edward's face, holding it to mine. I could barely breathe through my tears. He tried in vain to wipe them away.

"Shh, love, don't cry," he whispered, pulling back to look at me.

"Happy tears, Edward," I sniffled. He smiled softly and I couldn't resist tracing my finger along his bottom lip. "Good tears," I smiled.

As I looked at him -- _really_ looked at him -- I saw every time I saved him from a girl that would have just used him. I saw every time he stopped a guy from taking advantage of me. I saw leaves, fairs, wrestling matches, inside jokes, comfort and home. I saw our summer and love. I saw the mature man that I was supposed to end up with and reflected back at me in his emerald eyes, I saw the strong woman I needed to be -- not the love sick girl I used to be.

It finally hit me. He had said it more than one time. We were supposed to have been apart. Every rough road, every turn, every bad decision made us who we were. Edward had called it fate. He had said what we were, right that minute, was who we needed to be.

"You're right," I whispered in awe of my epiphany.

"About what, love?"

I picked up his hand and he watched as I traced his lifeline. "Fate," I breathed, my brow wrinkling. His mouth gaped slightly as he looked between our hands and my eyes. "You forgave me so quickly…I just…"

"Because I love you," he frowned, sounding like he was trying to make me believe it.

"I know," I smiled, tracing his lip again. "I just never forgave myself." He nodded and kissed my neck, trying to leave his lips there, but I pulled him back.

I looked at Edward again, taking in his features. His face screamed to be kissed, worshipped. I shifted on his lap to straddle him. His hands went to my hips on instinct, pulling me closer. I leaned in, kissing his forehead, nose, chin. I traced my finger along his stunning jaw line. "God," I smiled, "you're so handsome…I don't tell you enough. I can't believe I get to keep you."

His head tilted and he rubbed my nose with his, up one side and down the other. "I think that every day," he sighed, smiling. "I'm having a hard time holding back, love."

I reached behind him, gripping the back of the chair. I pulled myself closer to him and softly touched my lips to his. Our hips and chests were flush. This time, he snapped. His arms wrapped around me in a blink, one around my waist and the other cupping the back of my head. He picked me up, carrying me to the bedroom. He broke away from my mouth to kiss down my neck.

He whispered of his love for me and his sorrow that he never said anything. He told me that I was the brightest spot in his entire life as he undressed us both. He told me that I made him the man he was and he told me over and over that he wouldn't change a thing about us.

He entered me, telling me that it was all he could do not to run around the bar and kiss me the first time he saw me after six years. On and on he went, ravishing me with words and touches until I was a crying, writhing mess under him. When he told me that making love to me the first time was like a dream come true, I exploded under him, gripping him to me.

****

"What are you doing?" Rose asked, sitting beside me on the stairs and I shushed her, pointing to the lobby. Ok, so it wasn't a lobby anymore. The inn was officially closed, so I guess it was the living room.

"Ok, Jake," Edward smiled, standing over him at the piano. "I know you know your letters so tell me again." Esme and I had estimated perfectly. After moving the chair and table that we discussed, the piano fit in the window overlooking the ocean view.

"F.A.C.E," Jake pointed to the music sheet in front of him. "And…Every. Good. Boy. Does. Fine…E.G.B.D.F," he finished with a sigh, looking up at Edward for approval.

"Good," Edward nodded. "Play again."

"Oh hell," Rose whispered in my ear. "That's the hottest thing I have ever seen." I snickered. "Why is it men get hotter when dealing with little kids and puppies?" I snorted, shaking my head. "Come outside before you lose it," she smiled, pulling me up.

"Ok," I laughed, walking by my favorite piano teacher and student. I kissed them both on the cheek, getting a giggle from Jake and a smack on the ass from Edward when Jake had turned back around.

We sat down on the deck and I took a cleansing breath. "Let me see it again," Rose pointed to my ring. I held it up, rolling my eyes. "Damn, he did well," she sighed.

"Yeah, he did," I smiled. From inside, I could hear Jake plunking out scales.

"What time are you guys leaving?" Rose asked.

"When they are done," I pointed into the house.

"So _what _bet did you lose?" She probed again, snickering. She had been begging for the answer ever since Edward had mentioned it in front of her and Alice earlier in the week. It was now Saturday afternoon and I could have sworn she asked every hour on the hour.

I sighed, shaking my head at the sound of Edward's chuckle at the door. "Shut it, Cullen," I growled, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. He raised his own with his sexy smirk in place, looking me up and down. "Jake…piano…get away from me," I snorted. He laughed, his head tipping back. "Jackass," I sighed. But, God, I loved him.

"Tell me!" Rose laughed.

"No!" I squealed, shaking my head. "He took advantage of a situation…" I snorted, hearing him still laughing inside the house.

"You lost fair and square, love," Edward called from inside the house.

"He may not make it home," I sneered. "I may feed him to alligators in the Hillsborough River." Rose laughed, covering her face. "Edward, if you don't shut up…"

"Geez, Eddie, what did you do?" Emmett snorted, plopping down in the chair next to Rose. That question alone, started his chuckling all over again. I just shook my head and rolled my eyes.

A happy Edward was an irresistible Edward. He had turned eighteen again, silly ever since the ring went on my finger. He came home from work the rest of the week practically glowing. It warmed my heart that it was me that did it.

As I listened to Jake and Edward play their version of _"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"_, I thought back on our first real week of living together. Not just him staying with me, but really living together. It had been emotional and a little overwhelming, but by the time that Friday had rolled around, we were meshing our lives perfectly.

"Damn, that shit sounds good," Emmett beamed, looking in the house and back out to me.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Let Jake practice when you can, please."

"Sure, Bells, he's welcome anytime." Emmett looked up at me and asked, "School starts Monday, huh?"

"Yup," I nodded, "I don't think we'll be back down here until…well, probably my birthday…the first few weeks is always busy."

"Miss Bella!" Jake came running out glowing. "Didja hear us?"

"Of course," I laughed. "It's hard to ignore, Jakie." Not to mention it makes my already sexy fiancé all the hotter.

"_Claire de Lune"_ began in the other room and Jake hopped down to run watch Edward play. I sighed, looking up at Rose.

"Yeah," she laughed, knowing that my look meant I wasn't long for company.

Alice and Jasper came out, sitting with us. "Well, Miss Personal Shopper, how was your first day?" I asked, giggling at her beaming face.

"It's fantastic…I get to tell people all day what looks terrible," She gushed. We couldn't help but snicker. Jasper shook his head, kissing her temple. "And they _listen_…that's the best part!"

"I listened!" I gasped, my mouth open in shock.

"Sort of," she shrugged, winking at me.

"Love, are you ready?" He asked, the look on his face was asking more than if I just ready to leave. I bit my lip in order not to say anything to him and he saw it. "To go home," he clarified with a smile.

"Hillsborough River," I reiterated to Rose and she laughed, her head tipping back. I stood up. "Jake, come here," I called and he closed the piano and ran to me. I scooped him up and walked away from my family. "We'll be back in a few weeks. I want you to call me and tell me how your first day of second grade went, ok, buddy?"

"Yes," he nodded, kissing my cheek. He grabbed my face. "I'm gonna miss you," he whispered.

"Yeah, me too, Jake," I whispered back. "I got used to having you around. Tell your Dad to call Mr. Emmett or Mr. Jasper if you guys need anything."

"Ok," he nodded, "I love you, Miss Bella."

"Love you too, Jakie," I kissed his neck, causing giggles to erupt from him. "Go tell Mr. Edward thank you for your lesson." Jake beamed and nodded, wriggling down from my arms and launched himself at Edward, who was sitting next to his sister. He thanked him over and over.

"You're welcome, pal," he smiled, hugging him back. Rose snorted at the look on my face and laughed when I lifted my middle finger to her when only she was looking.

With hugs and kisses to everyone, we got in his car. "Come on, love," he smirked, "I don't know if I can wait until we're home to get you naked."

"Well, the neighbors will _love_ that, seeing me walk in the house with nothing on," I said wryly, snorting at the laugh he let escape.

"Well, Mr. Woodson will love it," he snickered.

"_Mrs_. Woodson on the other hand…" I laughed, looking over at him as he pulled out onto the highway. "They're in their eighties, Edward! Besides, it doesn't start until tomorrow," I reminded him, leaning back in victory.

"Damn," he growled.

****

I felt a tug on my shirt as I rolled over in my sleep. "It's midnight love," Edward smiled against my shoulder. I had fallen asleep watching a movie curled up with him.

"Incredible," I mumbled into my pillow, trying not to laugh. "Just tell me that in some of these twenty four hours…_you_ are naked too."

"Too late, baby." His voice velvet in my ear as he tugged my shirt over my head. His hands slid down my sides as I rolled onto my back to look up at him. My pajama bottoms were slowly removed.

"Are you proud of yourself?" I laughed, watching him nod. "Taking advantage of my desperate moment to go for the win, Edward?"

"I have to do what I can," he laughed, shrugging. "You're too beautiful, it wouldn't have been long before I cracked."

"You know, there's good naked and bad naked," I giggled as he tickled me.

"Don't quote Seinfeld, love," he snorted, aligning his body with mine. "I love you too much, did you know?" He asked, groaning slightly as my legs wrapped around his waist.

"Too much? Not possible, baby," I smiled, "some days it's hard to keep it all contained, though." I rubbed my legs over his thighs and back up to his hips, my hands slipping up his biceps, over his smooth shoulders and into his hair.

There was a moment when we were so close that we shared the same breath for a few heartbeats. I suddenly had a strong suspicion that walking the next day was going to be painful. Edward looked like he wanted to devour me. With a quiet moan, he slipped into me and my breath caught. "My goal," he growled, "is to take you on every surface of this house, baby." He bent down and captured my nipple in his mouth.

"Oh God," I breathed.

****

"Tell me again," he breathed as I slid down over him. We were on the piano bench. The morning sunshine beaming in the window. Our cups of coffee still sat steaming on the dining room table. My school plans were scattered all over the table top forgotten for the moment.

"I can't wait to be your wife, baby," I groaned, my head falling to his shoulder. I buried my face against his skin, rising up and down over him. His hands slid up into my hair, pulling it away from my face. My arms snaked under his, gripping his shoulders from behind. His eyes were black with lust, they had been since midnight. His mouth was irresistible and I captured it with my own.

"God, I want you like this forever," he whispered, breaking from my mouth and breathing heavy against my neck. "I want you riding my cock for a lifetime."

Now…_now _he starts talking dirty.

"Holy fuck," I whimpered, practically shredding his skin and grinding into him with a frenzy. "Jesus, Edward, don't stop…keep talking…"

He smiled against my neck, taking my earlobe into his mouth and biting down. "Your sweet pussy is mine, baby…there's nothing like feeling it tighten around me."

I stopped breathing, shattering. "Oh God," I cried out, biting down on his shoulder. He hissed as I sucked his skin into my mouth.

****

"Edward!" I laughed, turning the shower on and feeling his body align with mine behind me. "You're impossible today."

"It's _my_ day, Bella," he teased, grinding against me. "Sue me," he chuckled.

"Well, I should be glad that you let me eat," I snorted, pulling him into the shower with me. "You cooking lunch for me naked was…mmm…amazing to watch."

"See?" He smiled, picking me up and pressing me into the cold tile. "Now you know why this was my side of the bet."

"I do," I smiled, leaning in to lick the water from the side of his neck and place a kiss at the bite mark I left on him at breakfast. I pulled back and looked at him. He was breathtaking wet. His hair was darker and slicked away from his face. The beads of moisture running down his collarbone were too much to resist.

"Fuck me, baby," I growled as he teased my entrance. "Quit teasing."

"Hell yes," he smiled, growling as he entered me with swiftness. I pressed my forehead to his, looking into his eyes. They were overflowing with love, lust and happiness. For a split second, I remembered the Edward I saw for the first time in six years at the beginning of the summer. His eyes were a stark contrast to now. He had been sad, tired, and a little bitter.

I fisted his hair, licking across his bottom lip. We both groaned, as our tongues twisted and I gasped into his mouth as he swiveled his hips just right.

"Touch yourself, love, let me see you," he begged. I bit my lip, slipping my hand between us. My hips jerked when my own fingers caressed my clit. "Shit, that's beautiful," he groaned, laying his forehead on my shoulder to watch my hand.

"Damn, shit, fuck," I snapped, my legs contracting around him. He pulled me away from the wall and I continued to grind against him as he stood with us under the falling water. He kissed me like it was the last time, like he could never get enough.

****

"No fair," I pouted, watching Edward walk into the living room in just a pair of cargo shorts. I set my pen down on the tray. I was sitting in the chaise, working on my semester plan, the light was on behind me. The sun was setting a deep orange.

"Love," he laughed, "I have to get the garbage out…I can't very well do it naked."

"Mmm, Mrs. Woodson would love that, she may steal you from me," I giggled as he rolled his eyes. Although, looking at him in just a pair of shorts, I couldn't say that I blamed her. His abs made my mouth water.

"Besides," he smirked, folding his arms across his chest, "it's _your_ naked day, not mine."

"So you've told me," I grumbled, watching him tote out some empty boxes and two garbage bags.

As he walked through the room to the front door, he stopped, raking his eyes all over me and the chair. "Don't move from that spot." He raised an eye brow at me and licked his bottom lip with an evil smile.

"Yes, dear," I sighed, pretending to get back to work, but I know I didn't fool him. I am pretty sure my breath hitched and a small whimper escaped as I looked down at my calendar. Thank God, I was almost done. We had been attacking each other all day. Naked day, it seemed, was quite distracting. I snorted to myself at the word. Distracting was putting it mildly.

I wrote down a few notes, highlighting them according to subject. I turned a page and the highlighter was ripped from my hand. I didn't even need to look up, but I did, groaning at the same time.

Edward capped the marker, towering over me from the end of the chaise. He tossed it over his shoulder. He reached down and picked up the tray with my work, setting it down on the coffee table. "Better," he smirked, grabbing me by my ankles and yanking me towards him. My skin squealed against the leather. I laughed, my head falling back. I tried in vain to wriggle from his grasp, but he just chuckled, kneeling on the chair between my legs.

"You sat in this chair on purpose," he accused, snickering. He rubbed the side of my thighs ever so lightly. He lifted one of my legs by the back of my knee, swirling his tongue over my knee cap.

"Maybe," I smirked, stretching my upper body dramatically. My eyes were on his mouth, his were on my chest. "I like the lighting here," I teased, biting my lip as his tongue trailed up my thigh. I could feel his other hand ghost closer to where I was already throbbing for him, but it was his mouth my eyes were locked on.

He knew it, too, setting my leg down and dragging his bottom lip up my thigh to bite my hip bone. My eyes rolled back as he sucked hard on my skin, leaving a mark. "You're going to be feeling this day all the way into next week, love." His voice was deep, husky, fucking sexy. Biting my other hip, he left another mark.

"Uh huh," I nodded, not able to speak or even form a thought as his tongue swirled just below my belly button.

Edward backed off the end of the chaise and knelt down at the end, pulling my hips to the edge. I shuddered when his palm pressed against my mound. My legs couldn't stay still. The instinctively opened wider for him, begging him. He pressed down again and I cried out. I was so sensitive already that what he was doing was torture. "Oh, Edward," I begged through gritted teeth. "_Please!_"

He opened me up for him, placing a soft kiss on my sensitive bundle, then an open mouthed kiss. When his tongue met my heated and hyper sensitive core, the coil in my stomach tightened and my toes curled. His thumb made tight circles around my clit as his tongue twisted inside me, licking and sucking my wet flesh. I was practically sobbing with the need to come.

It was all over when his velvet voice said, "Your pussy tastes so sweet, love." I exploded, squeezing my eyes shut. Tears fell from my eyes and into my hair. My whole frame vibrated with the aftershocks.

When I was able to see again, I looked up at him. He was still wearing his shorts and an arrogant smirk. I sat up on my elbows. "You've been saving that mouth of yours up, haven't you?"

A laugh huffed out of him, but he didn't answer me. "Drop 'em, Cullen," I ordered, pointing to his shorts, "and get your ass over here."

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled, dropping his shorts to the floor. I sat up completely, sitting on the edge of the chair. As I looked up at him, I could see that he was proud of himself, that he had held out on me. Oh, turn about is fair play.

"Tell me," I purred, wrapping my hand around his erection. "Did you save it all for today, baby?" I asked, looking up at him through my lashes and laving my tongue across his tip.

He nodded, biting his bottom lip and looking down at me. He ran his fingers through my hair. I kept my eyes locked on his as I licked him from base to tip, placing a sweet kiss on the end. "Mmm, now why would you do that?" I asked, stroking him firmly with my hand.

His mouth was hanging open slightly, his fingers twitching in my hair. I sank my mouth down over him just one time, letting the tip rest against my bottom lip.

"Bella, please," he whispered, gripping my hair.

"Tell me…is it because you like my reaction to that dirty mouth, Edward?" I asked, lazily circling my tongue around the edge of his tip. I slipped my hand back to his ass, pulling him closer and gripped him hard at the base. He nodded, moaning for me. I sank my mouth over him again and again, feeling him twitch. I knew he was close. "It works both ways, baby," I purred, licking his length again. "What if I told you that nothing is better than having your cock in my mouth…even better…in my pussy?" I sank down over him again, taking him all the way in.

"Oh fuck, Bella!" He growled, exploding into my mouth.

I didn't make it to midnight to put clothes back on. I fell asleep wrapped in Edward's arms, feeling his kisses to my forehead. I was awoken the next morning by my alarm. The summer was officially over.

* * *

**A/N....Oh, Bella can't be fooled! LMAO Anyway, hope Naked Day was fun for you, I had a freaking blast writing it.**

**I'm sorry to say...just one more chapter and the epilogue, but the sequel to Broken Angel is well under way...Luckily, none of it was lost in the crashing of my computer....**

**Love you all....review for me please....**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N…Ahh, last chapter before the epilogue. Ok, so I will answer a few questions that you all have about this story. There won't be a sequel to this one. I'm sorry. I know many of you have said that you wish you could just jump into this story…you'll never know how good that sounds…but I have other projects that I want to work on. The sequel to Broken Angel is the main one.**

**Some of you have asked for a few outtakes…I won't promise anything, but it's not a bad idea. Only problem is, I rarely have outtakes…I either use something or I don't. I would have to write one-takes for this. Again, I'm not promising anything.**

**Here's the last full chapter…**

CHAPTER 19

BPOV

"Happy Birthday, love," Edward smiled against my shoulder.

"Thanks," I grumbled, burying myself back under the covers. He chuckled, pulling me closer. "What time is it?" I asked into my pillow.

"Still early, you have time. Emmett can wait to grill."

"Good," I yawned, rolling to press my face into his neck. It had been a hellacious start to a new school year. I had two, count them two, kids with ADHD. When they were on meds, they were zombies, when they weren't, they were hell on wheels. I couldn't decide which was worse.

We were both looking forward to going to the island for my birthday, if only to not think about work. I missed Rose, Alice and my brothers.

It had been three weeks since we returned from Chicago. Edward and I were so comfortable living together, it seemed like we always had. We fell into a work schedule with ease. We shared dinner and clean up duties. Although, I took dinner more because I was home first.

Our first weekend off together, we finally got around to hanging all of his pictures. There were so many, that two collages were required. We hung one collage above the dining room table and the other in the hallway between all the rooms. We tried to keep them in a random order, but I noticed the next day that most of the ones from our last summer were prominent in the dining room. For a moment, I wondered if we had done that on purpose.

Edward's job was going very well. Marcus was impressed by him, sending him out for new clients. Sometimes when he would travel during the day, he would stop and have lunch with me. The first time he walked down the hall of my school, every girl in the fifth and sixth grade stopped and stared. One poor girl ran into a wall. Yeah, I understand, really.

Edward ran his fingers through my hair, content to let me lay in bed lazily. Slowly, my brain awakened. With a contented sigh, I pulled back and looked up at him. "I want to go swimming today," I smiled at his chuckle.

"You sound like Jake," he smiled, kissing me. "What else does the Birthday Princess want today?"

"Hmm," I thought, "maybe coffee, other than that…I think I'm good."

"Swimming and coffee," he snorted. "Simple pleasures…"

"Yeah, yeah, for simple minds…" I smirked, smacking his arm.

"No!" He laughed, his head falling back. "That's not what I meant. I meant, I want to spoil you and you don't ever want anything."

"I don't _need_ anything!" I retorted. "I got what I wanted," I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Talk about simple pleasures," he chuckled, leaning in to kiss me.

"Pleasure, yes…simple, no," I laughed as he tickled me. "Ok, that's it…I'm getting up. I want to see everyone."

"Ok, love, go get a shower…I'll get your coffee."

I showered quickly, excited to see everyone. Carlisle was staying with my brothers for the weekend and I was looking forward to at least seeing him. Esme was still settling things back in Chicago.

"Are you _sure_ there's nothing you want for your birthday?" He asked again as we pulled into the beach house driveway.

"Fine," I sighed, shaking my head. "I'd love to see…Esme!" I squealed, jumping out of his car and running into her arms.

"Happy Birthday, Bella," Esme beamed, squeezing me close.

"I didn't think you were coming!" I gushed into her hair.

"I couldn't miss this, besides my children blackmailed me…something about up and coming weddings…" She smirked, looking over my shoulder. I snorted as I felt Edward's kiss to my head.

"Esme didn't come for my birthday," Emmett pouted at the door. "Ya'll are right…she does love Bells more…" Esme and I rolled our eyes at each other and walked through the house and out onto the deck.

"Miss Bella!" Jake pounced on me and I scooped him up. I saw Billy shaking his head at us murmuring his birthday wishes. "Guess what!" Jake beamed.

"Oh Lord, I can't guess, Jake…just tell me…all of it."

"Second grade is harder and my teacher…" He stopped and looked at his dad. "She's not as nice as you," he whispered. The chuckles around me couldn't be missed. "I have to do book reports and math…" He panted, then with a deep breath he said, "Buuuut…remember Emily?" He asked and I nodded. "Yeah, she moved here from M-mish…"

"Michigan," everyone around us corrected.

"Ok!" He snapped at them, causing them to snort with laughter, and turned back to me. "She's in the first grade at my school! Her parents moved here!"

"No way," I laughed, shaking my head.

"Yeah…OH! And Dad got to hear me play piano…" He turned around to Edward. "Can we play again today, Mr. Edward?"

Edward chuckled and nodded. In fact, everyone was laughing. Apparently, two weeks of catching up was hard to do in one breath for an almost seven year old.

"Buddy, breathe!" I laughed. "I'm here all day."

"Ok," he smiled, inhaling a huge breath and letting it out. He grabbed my face and whispered, "I miss you."

"Me too, Jakie," I whispered back, kissing his neck and blowing a raspberry. He screamed, wriggling down from my arms and running towards the beach. "I think I need a nap after that," I muttered, sitting down.

"You haven't heard anything," Billy chuckled. "He's got lists of things you need to know." I smiled, shaking my head.

"There's my baby girl," Jasper came out of the house, smiling. He bent down and kissed my head. Alice was right on his heels.

"Bells!" She smiled, flinging herself in my arms. "Don't believe anything Mom tells you about blackmail…it's not true," she whispered in my ear.

"Fine, fine," I smiled. "It's your conscience…threaten her with the one thing you know you can…shameful," I snorted, "both of you." I looked over at Edward and he was staring at the ceiling.

"Thank you, Bella," Esme nodded her head.

Rose came out the door with a smile, bending down to hug me. "Good, she's here," she said to Emmett. "Go ahead, you've been busting a gut…"

"Sweet!" Emmett beamed. "Bells…and Eddie…Jazz and I are opening our own construction company…renovations, really."

"Nice," Edward smiled, giving fist bumps to my brothers.

"Good for you, guys!" I smiled, watching Jasper and Emmett get pats on the back from everyone.

"Now, we can grill!" Emmett nodded. I looked up at Rose and she just rolled her eyes.

"No," Jake pouted, "now we can swim!"

"See…" I pointed to Jake, looking at Edward. "That's what I'm saying." He laughed, shaking his head at us as I took Jake out to the water.

The day flew by, people dropping by and wishing me Happy Birthday. Close to sunset, Sue stopped by to pick up Billy and Jake. Jake had run around all day, swimming and playing with Edward at the piano. He had fallen asleep in my lap at the table. "Jake," I whispered. "Buddy, wake up," I shook him slightly.

He sat up, rubbing his face. He saw his Aunt Sue and quickly turned back to me. "No," he shook his head. "Not yet," he frowned, clinging to me.

"Jacob," Billy smiled, "she'll be back."

"I know," he yawned, "but I didn't ask her…"

"Ask me what, Jake?" I pulled his face around to look at me.

"What's my job for the wedding?" He blushed when the snickers broke out around him.

"Oh!" I chuckled, kissing his forehead. "Well, I think Miss Alice needs an usher _and_ a ring bearer, can you handle two jobs?" I asked, looking over at Alice, who was nodding.

"Sweet!" He beamed, hopping down from my lap. I groaned, looking over at Emmett. He was nodding in total approval. "Mr. Edward, one more, please?" Jake begged, tugging on Edward's hand. With a soft smile, Edward got up and sat with Jake at the piano.

Esme got up and sat next to me. "You haven't seen this," I whispered to her. "Brace yourself," I smiled. Jake started _"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"_ in his usual simple manner. When Edward joined in, Esme gasped.

"How do you stand it?" She asked, her eyebrow rising.

I snickered, shaking my head. "The first time…oh, you just don't know…" I laughed, laying my head on her shoulder. Esme picked up my hand, looking at my ring and smiling up at me with tears in her eyes.

"Eighteen," Alice giggled, reminding me of my answer to her. She had asked me what I rated the piano lesson on a scale of one to ten.

"Shut it, Ali," I laughed.

When the song was over, Billy and Sue urged Jake to go. He kissed and hugged us all, bouncing his way out the door.

"God, he really makes me want kids," Rose laughed, shaking her head. "I know they all aren't as cool as he is, but…"

"Yeah," Jasper laughed. "It makes me wonder…is that Bells' influence or just because he's just…Jake."

"Bells," Emmett and Esme laughed. I smiled, shaking my head. Edward chuckled, leaning over to kiss my temple.

Once Jake was gone, the beers came out and Carlisle joined us after his shift. We could see the stress, but pride on his face as he told us about his new burn trauma ward. I could tell it was much more rewarding for him than botox and breast implants.

Alice noticed too, asking, "And just _how_ many times did Charlotte and Lauren come to you?" Rose and I snorted, looking away.

"Too many," Carlisle laughed. "Charlotte…" He shook his head. "My nurses dreaded her."

"I bet," I murmured in Rose's ear. "I thought you were going to hit her."

"I almost did," Rose laughed. "Have you ever actually hit anyone?" I looked around and they were all listening to us.

"Yeah," I snorted. "I came really close to hitting Tanya," I smiled, looking over at Edward. "Sorry, baby." He just smirked, waving me on. "Well, let's see…I think that football game they told you about…"

"Is that where I had to hose the two of you off?" Esme growled.

"Yes," Edward and I laughed.

"Jennifer Taylor…" I shook my head. "I got one good punch in and found myself in the mud." Rose laughed, joined by everyone else. "Oh! I know…this was just before we met Edward and Alice…"

"Oh, Bells," Emmett shook his head. "Don't!"

"Oh now you really have to," Rose snorted. "Go on."

"We were in elementary school…Jazz and Em had just moved in and the whole rumor got out about their Mom." I frowned. "Anyway, Jazz and I were in fifth and Em was in sixth."

"Oh yeah," Jasper nodded. "Damn, I was mad. You would think as big as Emmett always was, they wouldn't pick on him, but Bells and I walked up to find four kids asking him the most awful questions. I think you were stunned more than anything." Jasper sighed, looking over at his brother.

"What kind of questions?" Carlisle asked, looking at all of us, his face serious.

"Oh, stupid gruesome shit…like, was there blood everywhere…could you see brains…" I frowned. "I don't think Jasper and I even stopped to think. I landed on one boy and he landed on another. We were suspended for a week. Charlie didn't even ground us." I smiled sadly.

"How old were you?" Esme asked.

"Eleven," Jasper and I answered together. Jasper added, "Once we showed up, Emmett swung on the kid in front of him."

"So protective…" Esme shook her head, a slight smile on her face. "Who taught you that?" She asked, looking around at all of us.

"Charlie," Emmett, Jasper and I said.

"He told us that family comes in different forms, not to take it for granted," Jasper smiled. "Bells took that seriously!" He laughed. I shrugged, not apologizing for my love for the people sitting at the table.

"Bells, you should talk about the first girl you saved Edward from," Alice giggled. Edward sighed, rolling his eyes. My brow furrowed and I bit my bottom lip. "I will, then," she laughed, seeing my reaction. I was so infatuated with a fourteen year old Edward, that the first time I saved him was almost too much. "Fine!" She laughed. "We were at the mall…" I groaned. "Shut it, Bells…we were at the mall and these girls started following us…well, mainly the boys. What store were we in?" She asked me.

"Spencer's," I sighed, rolling my eyes, "the boys were over at the sports store…"

"Yeah!" She smiled. "So, we listened as these girls started oohing and aahing over them. They were staring from the Spencer's window over to the sports store. I was pissed, but Bells never batted an eye." I snorted, thinking differently. I had been raging with jealousy. "Eventually, they get enough courage to walk across to the boys. We stood and watched."

"No," I shook my head. "We got a pretzel, Ali," I smirked.

"Yeah, yeah!" She smiled and nodded. "Emmett ate the attention up!"

"Hell yeah," Emmett laughed. "I was getting hit on by hot girls in a sports store…What could be better?" Rose rolled her eyes. "Eddie hated the attention…always did. Jasper didn't like it either."

"So, Emmett starts flirting with the girl, but Jasper and Edward couldn't get far enough away from them, so with no shame…Bells leans in the doorway of the sports store, eating her pretzel. All it takes is a crook of her finger," Alice giggled, "and Edward's out of there like a shot." I laughed, getting a kiss on the cheek and a thank you from Edward. "She feeds him the pretzel, right in front of the girls and they are crazy jealous!"

"And so the rest is history," I mumbled. "It became a game after that…"

"Do _you_ have a favorite?" Jasper asked Edward, snickering.

"Sure, all of them," Edward chuckled, picking up my hand and kissing it. I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. The whole table groaned, throwing wadded napkins at him. "What?" He asked, laughing. I smirked at him, knowing he saw it differently than everyone else did. They saw entertainment. He had been uncomfortable and needed my help.

They brought out presents for my birthday, specifically ignoring my request not to get me anything. Alice and Jasper got me a new briefcase for work, Rose gave me Justin Timberlake's new CD, which I couldn't help but laugh. Emmett gave me a spa gift certificate, still saying I worked too hard. But it was Esme and Carlisle's gift that took my breath away.

I opened the box to see the old scrapbook she had kept for whatever future wedding I had. Alice rushed to my side to flip through it with me. "Oh, Esme," I breathed, looking through the first few pages. They were nothing but pictures of me and Edward starting at the beginning and ending the past summer. She must have taken them when we weren't looking. All of them. We were completely unaware that we were being photographed.

"You two never saw what I saw…" She smiled.

"Oh wow," Edward whispered, looking over my shoulder. I looked up and everyone was leaning in.

Alice and I giggled at a picture of us, arms folded on our chests, in a complete standoff with the three boys. We were so small in comparison, but still held our ground in front of the tree house Charlie had built for us. There was the five of us riding bikes, Edward bending down to help me up after I had fallen. Pictures of Edward tackling me as I held the football away from him. But, the one that made me gasp was Edward and I asleep in his bed. I was wearing his track shirt, my head on his arm. His other arm was wrapped around me. We looked about fifteen, and we clung to each other in sleep and never knew it. I snickered, pointing to it and looking up at Edward. He bent to my ear, whispering, "Still my favorite pajamas." He kissed my head at my laugh.

"Told you I knew," Esme giggled. "Here, Alice," she smiled, handing over another scrapbook. Alice squealed, running over to grab hers.

I continued to look at mine. A picture caught my attention. It was recent. As I looked at it, I realized it was from Fourth of July. Edward and I were on the pier. I even knew the conversation we were having. It was just after I had told him that I would go to Chicago with him. I was on his lap, his face was happy, bright as he was leaning his forehead to mine.

Once we were past the pictures, Alice and I groaned, comparing color choices and fabrics. "What were we thinking?" She giggled. "Yeah, we are really not following this…"

"Definitely not," I snorted, pointing to a cabbage rose fabric. "What the hell was this?"

"No idea!" She laughed.

We looked at the books until late, eventually getting up and heading to bed. Edward and I decided to stay the night at the beach house. Closing the door to my room, he said, "You have one more present, love." His head tilted as he leaned against the door.

"Oh?" I asked, my brow wrinkling. "I thought you bringing Esme in was my present."

"Nope," he smiled, pushing away from the door. "Although, she was part of it." He pulled a long velvet box out of his pocket.

"Oh Edward," I started, shaking my head slightly. I knew he was financially stable, though we never really talked about it. I also knew that he was prone to spoiling me, but I never really let him.

"Ok, wait," he smiled, holding up one hand. "Technically, this isn't a birthday present." I looked up at him confused. "It's a thank you…"

"For what, baby?" I asked, sitting down on the bed. He sat down beside me.

"My dad and I had a long talk one day…" He smiled, tucking my hair behind my ear. "We realized…you have taken care of everyone you know…your whole life. And not one of us has ever stopped to thank you." He leaned in, kissed my forehead and caressed my cheek. "From Charlie, to your brothers…me and Alice…Renee and your grandmother…I bet not one time have we _really _said thank you."

"I never asked…" I sniffled as he wiped away a tear.

"We know," he smiled sweetly. "So, baby, this is from all of us." I took the box from him, lifting the lid slowly. "We all added one," he whispered, kissing my temple.

I looked down at a charm bracelet, my breath hitching. I could tell who had given what. Rose's charm was a Mustang Shelby, a reminder of perseverance through our grief. Emmett's was a teddy bear, representing himself. Alice's was a high heeled shoe, just plain perfect. Jasper's was a tiny little Yoda and I laughed, shaking my head.

"I don't get that one," Edward chuckled.

"I do," I laughed, "When you and I got back together and Jasper and Alice got engaged, the hangover morning?" I looked up at him and he nodded. "Jasper and I joked about bringing the Cullen twins over to the dark side." He laughed, shaking his head.

Esme and Carlisle had added a heart with the word daughter through it. Jake and Billy had put an apple for teacher and it made me smile. I looked at Edward's and back up to his face. "I gave you two," he smiled, fingering the tiny piano, but it was the dragonfly that confused me. "Do you know the folklore about the dragonfly?" He asked and I shook my head. "There are several…" he sighed. "Some mention that it represents higher thinking or meditation. But the meaning for this one…they say dragonflies carry the souls of people that have passed on. I know you miss Charlie…I would like to think he would have picked this one…he would want you to remember him, your grandmother and Renee." His brow furrowed as he looked up at me.

I dissolved. There was no other way to put it. Edward pulled me into his lap, holding me, rocking me. He whispered of love and thanks and forever and family, wiping my tears away and kissing my head. I clung to him, pressing my forehead to his neck and watching as he clasped the bracelet on my right wrist.

****

"Miss Bella!" Jake whined. "It's too tight," he complained, tugging on his bow tie.

"Jake, relax," I smiled, straightening it. "If you have that much of an issue with it, go see Mr. Edward or Mr. Carlisle and see if they can't loosen it for you. They are in Mr. Jasper's room."

"I will," he huffed, looking betrayed. I couldn't help but laugh as he slammed out of my room.

I turned around to see Alice sitting in front of a mirror, her knee bouncing. "Whoa, relax, Ali," I smiled. "It's almost over."

Alice made a stunning bride. Her tiny form, her dark hair and her sweet face just made her look like a small model. Despite the beach wedding, it was formal. The ceremony would be at sunset just off the deck. Her dress was a sundress style, but totally a formal white.

Rose walked in completely dressed, looking stunning in the sky blue dress that Alice had picked for us. She didn't pick a maid of honor, Rose and I both did the job. Jasper made the same decision with Emmett and Edward. We were too close to pick one over the other.

"Oh boy," Rose sighed, watching Alice start to mess with her make up again. "Stop, Ali, you're perfect…leave it." She took the eyeliner from her and tossed it back on the table.

"I'm gonna be sick," Alice groaned, looking up at us in pure terror.

"No, you're not," I sighed. "But you are going to walk a bit," I smiled, standing her up and walking her a few paces and back. "Close your eyes, Alice," I whispered, taking her face in my hands. "I want you to think back. Don't think about now, but back…think about the first time you saw Jazz. He had just thrown Mike Newton into a wall, I was picking leaves out of Edward's hair…come on, Ali, you can do this…tell me what you remember."

With a shudder and her eyes still closed, she said, "Um…he was wearing jeans and a Mariners t-shirt…"

"Figures clothes…" Rose snorted. I smiled, but smacked at her.

"Um," Alice breathed again, "I remember the first thing he did was check on you…then, me…his smile," she sighed, opening her eyes. There it was, what she needed to focus on to make it through the next few moments. "His eyes were gray-blue, but his smile…it changed his whole face. It felt like it was just for me."

"It was, Ali," I smiled, kissing her head. "You can do this…it's been you and him forever." She nodded, taking another cleansing breath.

There was a soft knock on the door and it opened. "Alice, sweetie," Carlisle smiled. "It's time." He looked at the three of us and smiled. "My goodness, you're all beautiful."

"Thank you," we all said as Rose and I were pushing Alice towards the door.

As we walked into the hallway, I could hear piano music. Alice had begged Edward to play up until everyone was seated, but had recorded his playing for the actual march down the aisle. Jake was coming out first with the rings, then Rose and me, so when I stopped to kiss him, he knew it was time to join Emmett and Jasper at the front.

"Beautiful," he winked at me, kissing my head and hitting play on the iPod. I watched as he walked along the side to stand next to my brothers. All three looked incredibly handsome in tuxedos, their hands clasped in front of them.

Once Alice actually saw Jasper, her nerves were gone. She focused only on him. Esme was a mess, sniffling as the vows were exchanged.

For one last time, we brought Angela and Seth in for work. Angela helped me with the menu and did most of the cooking and Seth took the bar, which was completely transformed into something I barely recognized.

The tables were cleared to the side to leave an open space for a dance floor. Emmett had preprogrammed his iPod with every song that Jasper and Alice wanted. Every tradition was followed, including the tossing of the bouquet, which Rose caught and the throwing of the garter, which Billy caught. While Jasper was sweet sharing the wedding cake, Alice shoved a piece into his mouth and almost up his nose.

The first dance was of course _"To Make You Feel My Love"_ by Garth Brooks. It was their song, it always had been. I got a glass of wine from Seth when I heard Edward's silken tone behind me. "Are you ready for your own?"

I turned to look up at him. "Wedding?" I smiled and he nodded, picking up my hand and kissing it. "Yes," I nodded, tilting my head at him. "But I want my specific date…"

He smiled, leaning in to kiss me softly. "Me too," he whispered against my lips. We had decided that we were getting married on the date we had first made love. As Edward once described it: a random, summer, Wednesday afternoon. It just so happened, that particular date was imbedded in our minds and it was a Saturday come the next year. We wanted to wait, because it meant something to us.

"Dance with me," he smiled, holding his hand out.

"Ok," I smiled. I heard the song that was starting and shook my head. "You know, we didn't finish this dance."

"I know, you kept running from me," he chuckled, kissing my hand and walking us to the dance floor. _"Truly, Madly, Deeply"_ by Savage Garden enveloped us and I wrapped one arm around his neck while Edward held my hand, his thumb tracing my palm over and over.

I felt myself get lost in the words of the song and in his eyes. His arm was on my hip and he slowly moved it higher, playing with my hair that was hanging down my back. He left feather light kisses on my temple, cheek and ear. "I love you," he whispered, kissing me just below my ear. "Did you know?" He asked, pulling me closer.

"Me too, baby," I sighed, running my nose across his smoothly shaven jaw line. We were quiet for the rest of the song, just happy to hold one another.

I looked behind him, watching Alice and Jasper dance. "You know," I snorted, looking up at Edward, "we're technically in-laws now."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "I thought about that this morning when Jasper was pacing the floor like a mad man."

"Oh, you should have seen your sister," I snickered as we walked out to the deck. "If we would have let her, she would have had raccoon eyes. She kept messing with her makeup."

"Bells, Eddie," Emmett grinned from the doorway. "Come on, let's go get the car done." Edward groaned, shaking his head. "What?"

"Em, do you have any idea what she will do to you if you touch that car?" I asked, laughing.

"I know!" Emmett pouted, sounding indignant. "That's why Rosie's keeping the Porsche. Jasper wants to take the truck." He grinned and nodded.

"Oh yeah," I laughed, tugging Edward's hand. Jasper's poor truck didn't know what hit it. There were condoms, streamers, and shoes -- name brand, of course -- hanging from every place we could tie them. Rose joined us with the white shoe polish, writing "Just Married" all over the windows. Emmett proudly parked it where they would be coming out.

"Evil," Esme scolded us with a smile. She had come out looking for us and watched as we wrapped the truck with plastic wrap, going over the roof and under the carriage. We just laughed, running around back to the deck.

We fell breathless into the chairs, Edward pulling me on his lap. "He's going to kill us," Edward chuckled, shaking his head. He turned to me with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Yeah, we're taking your truck when we get married."

"Coward," I snorted. "We'll just park your car at Rose's."

"Yeah, sure," Rose nodded, snickering. "That's where the Porsche is…she knew we would do that." She pointed behind her with a thumb.

"Oh my God," Carlisle laughed as he stepped onto the deck, shaking his head and loosening his tie. "What on earth did you do to that truck?" We laughed, fist bumps everywhere. He sat down and Esme joined him.

"Beers?" I asked, looking around the table at them all nodding. "Rose, come with me."

"'Kay," she smiled, walking inside to the bar. Emmett and Edward pulled their bow ties undone, unbuttoning the top few buttons.

We came back to find the men had completely relaxed, the jackets were off, the ties untied, their vests open. Rose and I passed the beers out, Edward pulling me back to his lap.

"There you all are," Alice smiled, pulling Jasper behind her. As soon as he saw everyone else, his tie came loose and his jacket was off. He ran off for more beers.

"Come sit, Ali," I smiled, "it's almost time to get you changed." Emmett snickered and Edward and Rose threw their bottle caps at him.

Emmett didn't flinch, just kept smiling. "So…where is it you two are going?" He asked Alice.

"Atlanta," Alice smiled. "Jasper promised one whole day of shopping. Plus, it has the best aquarium…museums…"

I smiled, leaning my head on Edward's shoulder and thinking Jasper would give Alice anything she wanted. He had always been that way. "Atlanta is nice. All big city, all Southern charm…it's weird how it works. The Braves stadium is pretty, too bad baseball season is over," I shrugged.

"Yeah, too bad," Alice rolled her eyes and we all laughed. "When did you go, Bells?"

"Charlie took me," I sighed, "There was a law officer convention or something…I wandered around while he was in meetings all day. It was just before I moved here. And you know Charlie, he _had_ to go to one game." I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"No doubt," Emmett smiled. Edward chuckled in my ear, kissing my neck. He was worried about me when I spoke of Charlie, but as I looked around the table, Charlie's presence was definitely felt. All of them, including Esme and Carlisle, were smiling warmly with their own thoughts of my dad.

"There's the Coca Cola museum, Stone Mountain…" I sighed, watching Edward turn my charm bracelet. "Oh! And don't forget Six Flags…" I added, just as Jasper came back out with another round of beers.

"I know," Jasper nodded, smiling widely, "she gets to shop…I get roller coasters." We all chuckled at Alice's scrunched up face.

"Come on, Ali," Rose snorted, "let's get you changed. You are _driving_, so you'll want to get a head start." Emmett snickered again and this time, Esme slapped his arm.

Esme and I got up, following Rose and Alice back to my room. We helped her out of her dress, hanging it in my closet. Alice had her own mind when it came to wardrobe changes, so we let her pick her own clothes. We hung out with her until she was changed. Esme was sniffling as we all hugged Alice and wished her a good time.

We walked back to the doors of deck. I sighed at the sight before me. Rose, Alice and Esme giggled softly behind me. "Oh Lord," Rose sighed. "That poor boy can't be left alone."

"Don't I know it," I rolled my eyes. Edward was leaning against the rail of the deck, beer in hand. He looked so sexy, smiling at two girls that had attended the wedding. One hand ran through his hair and he shoved it into his pocket. He looked like a dream with his vest undone, his sleeves rolled up and bow tie loose around his neck. "Who are they?" I asked, looking over at Esme.

"Daughters of one of Carlisle's associates," she smirked at me. "Go get him!" She snorted.

"Alright," I sighed, looking up when I heard the girls talk.

"Come on, Edward," one begged, looking up at him. "The pier is just right there."

"No, thank you, ladies, but be careful out there," he nodded towards the beach. She reached for his vest and he took a polite step back. "I'm afraid I can't," he chuckled nervously. "My fiancé will be back any moment…I'm waiting for her." The girls smiled kindly and walked away from him. I inhaled quickly in shock.

"Holy Christ!" Rose gasped. "He just saved himself."

"Oh wow," Alice breathed.

"Good boy," Esme whispered.

I couldn't stop my feet from walking to him. "Hey, love," he smiled sweetly at me. I gripped his vest at his chest, jerking him to me. "What's…"

He didn't get a chance to finish, my mouth was on his faster than I could think. My tongue was possessive and I continued to grip his clothes. I felt him relax to me, his arms wrapping around me. With a whimper, I let go of his vest, running my hands to his hair. He turned us, pressing me into the post of the deck with a deep moan. I could only feel one of his hands as it fisted in my hair, the other must have still been holding his beer, but his wrist was at my hip.

I twisted my tongue with his, not able to stop kissing him. Sucking my bottom lip one last time, he broke away from me, pressing his forehead to mine. "What was _that_ for?" He asked, smiling crookedly and breathing hard.

"You…baby," I shook my head, trying to collect myself. "You…Edward, you just saved _yourself_…" I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to kiss him again. I was shaking, fighting the desire that was flowing through me. "I just…ugh…Edward…" I moaned, pulling his face back to mine. He leaned into me this time, letting me ravish his mouth, letting me drink him in.

I don't know why the whole thing had affected me the way it did, but I couldn't stop the possessiveness that was coursing through me. I couldn't stop the whimper that slipped out when he turned my head. I wanted him. Right at that very moment, I wanted him more than I ever have.

I felt him shift one arm and heard the sound of the bottle being set down. Both his hands came to my face, his thumbs caressing my cheeks. He broke away from me, but his voice was soft between words and kisses. "I did…didn't I?" He breathed, giving me small licking kisses to my mouth as his hands slid to the back of my neck.

"Yes," I whined, trying to get closer to him. "God," I growled, taking his face in my hands. "I know we can't…but, fuck I want you…" My eyes flicked to the doorway, suddenly remembering who I had walked out with, but we were alone.

"Why…why can't we?" He asked, losing himself in this just as much as I was. He was kissing my neck just below my ear and my eyes were starting to roll back.

"Oh…um, wedding…Alice leaving…oh, God, right there," I whispered.

From just inside the door, I heard the girls yelling. "Emmett, don't you dare," Esme hissed.

"Bells, Eddie…oh for God sakes…" He boomed, laughing. "Let's go…they're leaving!"

I jumped, gripping Edward's shirt sleeves. I closed my eyes, trying to calm my breathing. "This isn't over, love," Edward breathed against my forehead, kissing it roughly. All I could do was nod, my eyes still closed. "Emmett, we'll be there in a sec," he called over his shoulder.

"'Kay, Ed," Emmett chuckled.

I looked up at him, finally able to breathe normally. I reached up, rubbing my lipstick off of his lips. "Hmm," he smiled crookedly, "and I thought it was a turn on when _you _saved _me_." I just moaned, my brow furrowing. He had no idea. "Are you verbal, baby?" He asked, chuckling. I shook my head no, but reached for his beer, downing half of it.

"I…" I gulped the rest of the beer, setting the bottle back on the rail. "I'm ok."

"Good," he laughed softly, wrapping his arm around me. "Just a few more minutes, love…and then you can explain what that was all about…" I smiled, leaning into his side.

We walked inside and I rolled my eyes at Alice and Rose fanning themselves. I noticed most of the guests had left, leaving just a few stragglers and my family.

Esme tugged me away from Edward, pulling me over to the table we had set up with the bird seed. We couldn't use rice, because it killed the sea birds. Seagulls would eat the uncooked rice and then drink water, the rice swelling in their stomachs. "You ok?" She whispered in my ear.

"Yup," I squeaked out and she giggled, leaning into me. "Shut it," I groaned, which only made her laugh harder. I raised an eyebrow at her and she tried to stop. I shook my head when she busted out again.

"Jesus, Bells," Rose whispered from behind me. "_My_ knees went weak…"

"Ok," I barked, fighting my smile. "Enough…Alice, Jasper…it's time." I finally found my voice and my responsibilities came flying back to me.

I turned around to see Alice staring at me. "You ready, Ali?" I asked, tilting my head at her. She nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Hey, what's this?" I asked, trying to wipe her tears away.

"I just know what that meant for you, that's all," she smiled, rushing into my arms. I nodded, kissing her head. Alice would be the only one that would totally understand. She had been there from the very beginning, seeing my tears, jealousy, frustration, and devotion. She knew that all I wanted was one time for Edward to tell someone that he was taken. I never doubted his friendship or loyalty then and I didn't doubt his love now, but pushing girls away from him when we were young sometimes felt like a one way street _and_ an uphill battle.

"Let's go, my brother's getting impatient," I snorted, watching Edward and Emmett hold Jasper from the door. She nodded, hugging me tighter and then letting go.

"Jasper," I snapped and he stopped. "Get over here and take your wife…quit fooling around." He grinned like a fool and nodded, causing me to snicker. "Come on, Obi Won," I snorted as he kissed my cheek.

"Since we're talking the Dark Side, baby sis," he snorted, "wouldn't I be like Darth Maul and you Darth Vader?" He asked, grabbing Alice by the waist.

"Oh sure, ass, put me in a mask," I frowned. "At least you didn't say the old guy…" I muttered as he grinned from ear to ear. "Love you, Jazz…have fun." He laughed as I shoved them out the door. Turning to Emmett and Edward I smiled, "Brace yourselves." They both nodded, impatiently waiting for Jasper's reaction to his newly decorated vehicle.

The door opened and Jasper growled. "Son of a bitch…bastard…Emmett!" He turned, looking for our big brother.

"I had help, bro," Emmett beamed, pulling Edward, Rose and I around him. Rose and I could barely contain our giggles. Alice just snorted, looking at us.

"And that's why we aren't taking my car," she smiled proudly. Jasper shook his head as he tried to open his door.

"Need help, Jazz?" Edward snorted. I buried my face in Emmett's shirt as Rose tossed Jasper a pocket knife with a laugh.

"Just wait…all of you…Bells, your wedding is next," Jasper pointed to us with the knife. "Paybacks are a bitch." Jasper's face was a cross between amusement and irritation.

"Whatever, Jazz," I laughed, waving him on. "But you better hurry, I feel like throwing something…" I tossed the little bag of birdseed in the air and caught it.

"Sweet!" Emmett smiled, fisting two bags in his hands. "Look, he's never moved so fast…" We laughed evilly, getting ready to hurl our weapons. Carlisle joined us, carrying his own bag of seed, smiling. Esme just watched us all with a smile playing on her lips.

We barely let him cut through the plastic wrap before they both were pummeled. I think Emmett even left one tied just so he could see it explode on Jasper's back. Once Jasper had Alice safely in the other side, he flipped us off with a smile and then waved as they drove off.

As I watched their tail lights disappear around the corner, I felt a warm hand in mine. I looked up into Edward's loving eyes. "Let's walk," he said quietly, tugging me towards the beach.

EPOV

Bella was quiet as we headed toward the water. Her kiss earlier had left me breathless and a little stunned. She had said I saved myself, but her reaction to that was _more._ I wanted to talk to her about it.

I found a secluded spot, sitting down in the sand. I started to take my vest off for her to sit on, but she shook her head and sat between my legs. "What happened, love? What was that?" I kissed the back of her head, linking my fingers over the top of hers.

"Um," she snorted adorably. "Something I _really_ needed to see and hear…" She let go of my hand and took her shoes off, tossing them beside us. The next time she spoke her voice was low. "I have loved you a really long time, Edward…and I never regretted anything that we did…saving you, our friendship…but my biggest dream was that one day you would just tell them all to leave you alone, because you belonged to me."

"I do belong to you," I frowned, turning her to face me. "I'm sorry…I…"

"You don't have to apologize, baby," she smiled at me, turning completely to kneel in front of me. "I know you love me…I see it every day…it just," she giggled, "took me by surprise."

"I want to make all of your dreams come true," I smirked, knowing it sounded corny, but it was true.

She laughed, grabbing my face. "You have…" She kissed me sweetly. "Most of them anyway…" She sat back on her heels, looking at me.

"What's left?" I asked, tilting my head at her.

"Our wedding…" she smiled, leaning on my chest. "I want a little Edward," she smirked, "with crazy hair and green eyes," she giggled, running her fingers through my hair.

"Hmm," I chuckled, "and all this time I was thinking little girl…big brown eyes and a sharp wit."

"Ok, her too," Bella smiled, nodding. "After that, I don't care…" She shrugged, running her hands into the open collar of my shirt. I slid my hands up her arms to cup her face.

"Me either, love," I smiled, bringing her closer. With a smile back to me, she pulled up her dress and straddled my legs. "What color is under there?" I asked, chuckling and slipping my hands just under where the fabric was bunched. I felt lace and warmth envelope my hands.

"Pink," she smirked, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"I think I picked pink, didn't I?"

"Mmhm," she nodded, leaning into touch her mouth to mine.

There was a squeal of laughter from behind her that broke us apart. It was the two girls from earlier. Bella turned around, looked at them and then turned back to me. A smile played on her lips as she leaned in again, claiming my mouth.

"I'm taken," I chuckled against her lips.

"Definitely," she giggled, kissing me like crazy.

**A/N…Well, it's about time Edward learned to turn them all away, don'tcha think? **

**I want to really, truly thank Brits23 for her amazing beta skills. Her patience was overwhelming. If you haven't checked out her new story "Laid Bare"…you should…it's gonna rock, for real. Just the first chapter had a friend and I captivated at work…yeah, yeah…work…sue us.**

**I will give you a better idea when the first chapter of the sequel to Broken Angel will be posted by the time the epilogue to this story is up. The story is called Angel's Embrace. It picks up right at the end of the first story…their senior year at Dartmouth and further…I plan a little more fun with my silly vampires and a little more in depth look at Edward and Bella's relationship. Woot! LOL And we can't help but have a little drama along the way…**

**Ok, review for me…let me hear you…ok? Everything you say, I hear. I may not get a chance to answer all of you, but I read every last one of them! REVIEW, PLEASE! **


	20. Chapter 20 Epilogue

**A/N…Sigh…so here it is…the last chapter. I'm a little melancholy about it, really. It was hard to write, but I fell in love with my characters. **

**I'll do my thanks at the bottom…and announcements…so, go ahead…**

CHAPTER 20 -- Epilogue

BPOV

Seven years later…

Piano music drifted into the kitchen as I packed up the food we were taking to the island. It was Fourth of July and the whole family was meeting at the beach house for a cookout. "Jake, it's beautiful, really, but we need to get going," I called, stacking the containers to load into the car.

"Ok, Bells," Jake sighed and heard him close the piano lid. Jake was almost thirteen and Edward had done an amazing job with his piano lessons. Jake had been living with us since he was eight, a year after Edward and I got married. Billy had found out that he had pancreatic cancer a month after Jasper and Alice's wedding. He fought hard, but there was nothing that could be done. He lost his battle and Jake was devastated. Sue took him in, but between Jake's nightmares and his constant begging for me, Sue let him come live with us. He's been a happier boy ever since. Sue was single, having no children and told us that a "mother and father" situation was better than an old spinster lady. Not long after that, we discovered that I was pregnant.

Jake leaned in the doorway, asking, "What do you need help with?"

"Take these to the car," I smiled, handing him the two containers of food. He started to turn and I stopped him. "She'll love it, Jake, relax," I whispered.

"Yeah, yeah," he smirked, shaking his head. "Emily and I are just friends, _Mom_," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I've heard that before," I muttered, watching his tall frame walk out of the kitchen. He had turned into a handsome boy. His dark eyes and short hair, not to mention his beautiful smile, had girls calling at all hours. He paid them no attention. Despite his claims that he and Emily were just friends, he lived to see her when we went to the island.

I felt a tug on my shorts and looked down to see my five year old daughter staring up at me with a huge smile. "Yes, Elizabeth…" I smiled, picking her up and setting her on the counter. She had Edward's hair color, but my eyes. She had inherited my sharp tongue as well -- as Edward was kind to point out just about every day. "Dad sent me to you…" she sighed with an eye roll, handing me the hair tie she wanted to wear. I smiled, kissing her forehead and taking the brush from her hand. "He says it's 'cause I can't sit still…he said you feed me jet fuel for breakfast."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Make sure you tell that to Aunt Alice when we get to the beach." She nodded, flinching as I pulled her hair through the rubber band. She looked over at the kitchen doorway at her twin brother.

"William, put Mr. Bear down!" She snapped, scowling. He just laughed, tossing it the air and catching it. William was the clone of his father, but with chocolate brown hair. It stood up every way possible no matter what I did to it. His eyes were a beautiful green that almost outshone Edward's.

"Will, don't tease, give her the bear," I sighed, setting Elizabeth down.

"'Kay, Mom," he sighed with a crooked grin as his sister snatched the stuffed animal out of his hands.

"Are you both packed?" I asked, guiding them out of the kitchen.

"Yes," they whined.

"Well, go get your stuff," I pointed to their room. "We are running behind as it is. Uncle Emmett will lose his mind."

"Hasn't he done that already?" Elizabeth asked her brother as they walked to their room. I bit back my laugh and walked into the bedroom.

I walked in and grabbed our bag. We were all staying at the beach house for the weekend and then the kids were heading to Carlisle and Esme's for two weeks. They were brave enough to take all the grandkids, but they were amazing with them.

Emmett and Rose got married just after Edward and I did, but they had run off to Vegas to do it. Alice and I were livid that they didn't have a wedding we could participate in, but when they got back, they let us know that Rose was over two months along with Gabby. Gabrielle was the picture of an angel with blonde hair and blue eyes. She had her mother's common sense and her father's happy disposition. She couldn't stay out of trouble and she always dragged my twins along for the ride.

Alice and Jasper were just now pregnant. They had tried for kids about a year after their wedding, but it just never happened. After years of hormone therapy, she conceived just seven months ago. Alice's small frame and large belly made her a miserable pregnant woman, which everyone pointed out to her. The Florida heat didn't help either.

"Jet fuel, Edward?" I asked as he came out of the bathroom with our last bag. He chuckled and shrugged.

"She fidgets with me," he smiled, taking the other bag out of my hands. He bent down and kissed me quickly. At thirty, Edward was still stunning. He looked like he had barely aged at all. He was an amazing father with endless amounts of patience. We were looking forward to time alone. Two whole weeks without the kids couldn't come quick enough.

"Hmm," I smiled, pulling the bags out of his hands and setting them on the bed. "More." He chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist. I wound my arms around his neck and lost track that we were supposed to be getting in the car. With a sigh, I melted to him. A year of living together and six years of marriage did nothing to stop our passion. I loved him more if it was even possible.

His tongue swirled with mine, but the yelling from down the hall pulled us apart. "William, drop the bear or I rip the comic book!" Elizabeth growled.

"I think I threatened Emmett like that once," I snorted. Edward laughed, picking up our bags as I went to take care of the bear/comic book emergency. "Will," I sighed, leaning in the doorway to watch the standoff. Elizabeth had his comic book in both hands about to tear it in half and Will put the bear behind his back. "Keep it up, both of you and no one goes swimming today," I threatened, raising an eyebrow.

"Aw, Mom," they both whined, throwing each other's property at each other.

"Don't 'Aw, Mom' me…get your stuff," I waved around the room. "We gotta go!"

"'Kay," they said, grabbing their backpacks and heading to the car.

As the twins loaded up in the car, Edward and Jake packed the trunk. I caught the end of their conversation. "Play _Moonlight Sonata _or _Claire de Lune_," Edward nodded, "she'll like both…you've got them both down." I fought a smile. Edward saw something of himself in Jake and sheltered him. They would talk endlessly about music, books and of course, Emily. Jake turned into a mellow kid, nothing really rattling him. I wondered for years if it was Edward's influence. We couldn't love him more if he were our own.

The car ride was long, the twins chattering their own language to each other. Jake was quiet, listening to music and occasionally texting Emily. Edward picked up my hand and kissed it, holding it between us and tracing my palm. If he ever stopped that, I would be heartbroken.

As we pulled into the driveway, the twins lost their minds at the sight of my brothers. "Uncle Emmett…Uncle Jasper!" They both beamed, scrambling out of their seats. Will hit Emmett full force and Jasper scooped up Elizabeth, covering her in kisses. My brothers loved having a big family now.

Standing off to the side was Emily, nervously twirling her hair. She was a beautiful girl with piercing blue eyes and a sweet smile. She still occasionally blushed in Edward's presence, but it was really all about Jake. The way she looked at him when she thought no one was looking was eerily familiar. She rushed to Jake as he got out and after a brief hug, they disappeared into the house.

Edward watched them close the door and turned to me. "One day he'll see it," he smirked.

I laughed, shaking my head. "I hope so," I sighed, kissing his cheek as we pulled everything out of the trunk. "Otherwise, she will pine endlessly. Silly boys…" I mumbled the last thing.

"It's terrifying," he snorted, "you should know that…the girl we love holds everything in the palm of their hands." He tilted his head at me, my favorite smile on his face. I leaned in and kissed him quickly, my lips telling him I remembered our beautiful past too.

"The guys do too," I laughed, walking to the door. "Hi, big brothers…" My stuff was yanked out of my hands and I was scooped up by Emmett.

"Baby girl," he beamed, squeezing me close still holding Will upside down.

"My son is purple, Em," I smiled, kissing Emmett's cheek.

He looked down at my giggling son. "Purple looks good on you, little dude." Will laughed again, wriggling helplessly against his huge uncle. Emmett took pity and set him down.

I looked over at Jasper and Elizabeth. They were deep in conversation forehead to forehead. They had a special relationship. He adored her and she thought he hung the moon. "And then Will stole my bear," she scowled. I snickered, pulling Jasper down to kiss his temple.

"God, Bells," Jasper smirked. "She's you made over. I see it more as she gets bigger…which is every minute!" He smiled, tickling her relentlessly. She screamed, clinging to him burying her face in his chest.

Gabby appeared at the door, looking just like Rose with an exasperated face. "Daddy, Mom said to get in there and start the food, she's starving," she sighed, but seeing me she beamed. "Aunt Bella!" She tore from the door and jumped into my arms, kissing my cheek. She saw Edward walk by and reached for him. "Uncle Edward…"

He scooped her out of my arms, smiling and kissing her neck. "Miss Gabby," he smiled. "You get taller every second."

"Yeah," she smiled, grabbing his face. "Dad says it's his fault."

"It is," Edward nodded seriously.

We all went into the house, passing a piano playing Jacob with Emily sitting next to him. "Bella," she smiled, running up to give me a hug. She was a quiet girl, always shy, but we had developed a bond. It reminded me of myself and Esme.

"Go listen to him," I whispered in her ear. "He's been practicing for days." She flushed when she pulled back and nodded. "We'll catch up later."

I kissed the top of Jake's head on my way out onto the deck. "Bells!" I was greeted with by Rose, Alice, Carlisle and Esme.

"I'm not getting up!" Alice growled. "Come hug me," she waved me over from the chair she was in. Her belly was huge. She was expecting twins, though we weren't sure if it was genetic because of her and Edward or the hormone therapy. Her feet were up and I could see that she was miserably swollen. I kissed the top of her head and hugged her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked Alice, sitting next to Esme and kissing her cheek.

"Like a giant balloon," she snorted, leaning in to Edward's kiss on her cheek. He chuckled and she swatted at him. "They decided to do a c-section…" I nodded, sighing with relief. Alice's frame had been a concern for all of us when she became pregnant. Carlisle warned her and watched her like a hawk.

Will rushed up to me. "Mom, we want to go swimming…" he panted like he had run around the house a thousand times. He was my twin spokesperson. Elizabeth got him to ask everything. I pulled him on my lap, running my fingers through his familiar unruly hair.

"I don't know," I feigned concern. He looked so much like Edward when his head tilted and he pouted, that I could barely resist him.

"Please, Mom?" Will begged, kissing my cheek. He already knew, like his father, how to get his way. "Jake said he would watch us…Gabby's going…" I looked at Rose and she nodded, smirking.

"Fine," I sighed. "Jake," I called and he popped his head out the door. "Did you say you'd watch them?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "we were going out there anyway."

"Ok, go!" I laughed as Will's face broke into a huge smile. They all took off towards the water.

"He's just like Edward," Esme snorted, looking at her son. "He could play me too." Edward chuckled, shaking his head and I laughed.

Emmett started the grill and we sat and caught up. Emmett and Jasper's construction business was thriving. Edward had been a silent backer until recently. He still worked for Volterra Marketing, but was soon about to quit. Emmett and Jasper preferred the physical part of it where Edward was perfect to bring in new business. He was moving into the office as soon as our holiday was over.

Rose sold half her car company to her lead mechanic, happy to be a stay at home mom and fix cars only when it interested her. She and Emmett were thinking about trying for another child.

Carlisle never stopped. The trauma burn unit he headed was a model for hospitals around the state of Florida, so he traveled, setting them up and coming home to run his own. He still would rather be in the operating room than the meeting room. Esme was the perfect grandmother. She took them all or one at a time. She couldn't get enough of them. Jake loved to stay with her, because she lived so close to Emily.

As the sun fell, the kids all settled on a blanket on the beach with Esme. It had been a tradition from the moment that Jake had come to live with us and the first grandchild was born -- Gabby. Esme and Carlisle would keep the kids during the fireworks, feeding them hotdogs and lighting sparklers.

Edward grabbed our blanket, finding our usual secluded spot. I settled between his legs, laying my head back on his shoulder. Our silence was comfortable, sweet. Edward kissed my shoulder, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "What are you thinking about?" He asked, kissing behind my ear.

"The twins are starting school this coming year…" I started, feeling his smile against my skin. "Um…I want to teach again." I sighed, waiting for his disappointment. I had stopped when Will and Elizabeth were born, but they were about to start kindergarten.

I turned in his arms to look at him. His face was unreadable. He had liked me staying with the kids and we weren't suffering without my income.

He cupped my face, studying my eyes. "Ok," he sighed, smiling my favorite crooked smile. "You'd probably go mad home all day alone anyway."

"Yes, exactly," I laughed. "Really? You don't mind?"

"Bella," he frowned at my questioning of him. "When have I ever told you no?"

"Never," I shook my head. "Well there was this one time…something about lifting heavy objects…"

He laughed, shaking his head at me. He pulled me closer, still chuckling. "Yes, but if I remember correctly, you had to be supervised, love."

"Hmm," I sighed, running my fingers through his hair. "Do have any idea how much I love you?" I asked, getting lost in his emerald eyes.

He nodded, not saying anything for a moment. "Yes…" he whispered, leaning in slowly and taking my bottom lip. I took his top as his hand gripped my hair, turning my head. My tongue swirled with his and we both moaned. We were breathless when we broke apart. He pressed his forehead to mine. "I know, love. You've given me more than I can list…three beautiful kids," he smiled and I fought the tears, knowing he counted Jake as one of our own. "You've given me family, love, a safe haven, a best friend and the love of my life." He smiled up at me. "I can't thank you enough." He wiped my tears away. "But I'm going to _try_," he smirked, slowly licking his bottom lip, "as soon as we are home alone for two weeks."

"Hmm," I smiled, running my nose along his scruffy chin. "I, all of a sudden, have a _ton_ of things you need to thank me for." He chuckled, nodding in agreement. "There's a chair that's been painfully neglected, Edward."

"True, love…very true," he said, trying to make his face serious. He failed, looking too sexy to resist. I leaned in, kissing him with all that I had, the fireworks overhead forgotten.

Some say true love doesn't exist. Some say it's Fate that brings the one person to you. I'm not sure what I believed. I fell into love on the first day of seventh grade, literally tackling him to the ground. Some also say that if you love something, set it free. If it's really yours, it will come back to you. That I truly do believe and once I had it back, I never let it go.

EPOV

"Nice shiner, Jake," Emmett teased, walking out onto the deck. He slapped him on the back and sat down beside him. Jake rolled his eyes to me and sighed.

"As pretty as Emily is," Jasper snorted, sitting across from us, "it won't be the last one. I promise you, pal."

Jake groaned, his head falling back and his hand still holding the ice pack.

"What happened?" I asked, trying not to let my memories flood me.

"We were on the pier for the fireworks last night…Grandma said we could walk down there. There was a kid staring at Emily, saying things. I think he goes to her school. The dude wouldn't stop looking at her," Jake growled. "Before I knew it…I was telling him to stop. Sorry, Edward," Jake sighed again, looking up at me.

I chuckled, looking at Bella's brothers. Emmett laughed quietly, shaking his head. Jasper waited with a smile on his face. "Jake," I smiled. "The three of us," I gestured around the table, "have been in more fights like yours than I could possibly recount."

"You're not mad at me?" He asked, looking around the table and back to me.

"No," I snorted. "I can't be mad for something I've done or would do if given the same situation." Emmett and Jasper nodded in agreement. "Has Bella not told you how we met?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips.

"Well, yeah," he nodded, "you met when you guys were my age. Friends ever since she said. It's how Alice met Jasper too."

"Yes, that's the gist of it," I nodded. "You know how protective Bella is, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He nodded. "Ok, well, that's nothing compared to how she was when she was your age…let me just tell you." I laughed, my brother in laws joining in. "She took care of us all…" I started, telling him the whole story. I had been meaning to sit him down for this weeks ago, but Bella said not to, that he wasn't ready to hear it. The black eye staring back at me proved that he was ready.

I told him about fights and friendship. Emmett told him how he and Jasper became Bella's brothers. He sat wide eyed and hardly interrupted if only to clarify something. Jasper, through tears of laughter, told him about Bella saving me and I watched as it all clicked in his head what we were trying to tell him.

"She is just a friend, Edward," he whispered, frowning.

"That may be," I nodded. "But I answer the phone at home just as much as Bella does, Jake. How many of those girls are you comfortable around?" He stuttered and stammered, not meeting my gaze. "Fine, Jake, we won't push…but I want you to know…we've all seen it, lived it. The friendship with her now?" I asked, making sure that he was looking at me. "You hold onto it…it's really important, got me?"

It surprised me how much Jake had come to mean to me. He was always a very sweet kid, loving Bella like his own mother, but despite his now tall frame and handsome face, I saw the same pattern developing with Emily that I had had with Bella. He was really smart and had developed a quiet nature. His skill at the piano was impressive and I couldn't help but see our similarities.

"Yeah," he smiled, nodding.

"Here's the thing," Jasper sighed. "It's not fair to Emily, bud. You can't drag her along _and _keep her away from guys…it's really frustrating for her. We didn't see it then, don't make the same mistake." Jake huffed a frustrated sigh and I could see him trying not to roll his eyes.

"Now, do you still want to stay with Grandma for two weeks?" I asked, looking over at him. He nodded, smiling. He loved my parents. He had since the first day he met them.

Gabby bolted through the deck doors, laughing. My twins were hot on her trail. I laughed until Elizabeth's foot caught a chair and she tumbled down onto her knees. "Daddy," she wailed. I can't imagine there is anything more satisfying that hearing that, than being the savior in your child's life.

"Come on, sweet girl," I stood, scooping her up, "let's clean you up." Her knee was bleeding.

"It hurts, Daddy," she sniffled into my neck as we walked into the bedroom.

"What happened?" Bella frowned, seeing the blood. She had been sitting with Alice and Rose on the sofa. A red eyed Emily sat between them all.

"I fell down," Elizabeth hiccupped. I set her on the kitchen counter, cleaned up the blood and started to put medicine on it. "No! It's gonna burn!" She wailed, wriggling on the counter to try and escape.

"I'm not using the stingy stuff, baby," I chuckled. While she was still struggling I dabbed the anti bacterial ointment on her. Her band aid was firmly in place before she could fight me anymore. "See?" I laughed, watching her mouth hang open.

"Not funny, Daddy, you tricked me!" She frowned, looking so much like her mother that I had to laugh. Her brown eyes surged with betrayal and she bit her bottom lip.

"Don't say it, Cullen," Bella snorted from the doorway. "I'm well aware."

Will burst through the door. "Liz, what happened?" He looked over his sister.

"Down, Daddy," Elizabeth pointed to the floor.

"I need payment for my medical services," I pouted. She giggled and flung herself into my arms, kissing my cheek roughly. "That's better," I smirked, setting her down.

"You're not gonna run anymore," Will reprimanded his sister. My twins couldn't be more protective of one another if they tried. It reminded me of Alice and me at that age.

"I will run if I want to," Elizabeth snorted, folding her arms across her chest.

Will shrugged, looking up at his mother. "Mom, are you guys still leaving?"

"Yep," she smiled. "Don't you want to stay with Grandma?"

"Yeah!" He smiled, reaching up for her to pick him up. "I'll miss you," he whispered, burying his face in her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair, telling him that she would miss him too. If Elizabeth was our strong willed, William was our sweet one. He would let Bella hold him all day if she wanted to.

Gabby peeked in. "Where did you guys go?" She asked, leaning in the doorway. Will's head popped up and he scrambled down. Elizabeth grabbed Gabby's hand. They tore out of there.

Bella walked into my arms, snickering. "How's Jake?" She asked into my shirt.

"Better," I smiled, kissing the top of her head. "I told him our story. He may get it, but I don't know."

"It was time, I think," she sighed, looking up at me. "Emily's frustrated with him. She knows he likes her as a friend, but won't let boys near her…" She smirked at me, waiting to see my reaction.

"I know…we told him."

"Oh?" She snorted. "How'd that go?"

"We'll see," I smiled, kissing her nose. "I think he got it, but he's twelve. It may sink in eventually." She nodded.

"Are you about ready to go, love?" I asked. "My parents are taking all the kids to the zoo, so we won't be missed."

"Yeah," she smiled, nodding.

With kisses and hugs all around, we packed our things back up. My mother said she would bring Jake and the twins home to us in two weeks.

The drive home was quiet. Too quiet. I realized Bella and I hadn't been alone in months. I picked up her hand and kissed it, tracing her palm with my finger. If she ever stopped me from doing that, I would be heartbroken. It was my reminder to us of our past and future.

"Row-ool!" We were greeted when we got home.

"Charlie, old man," I snorted, sitting next to him on the couch. He was older, but still just as healthy as ever. He stretched and yawned, curling up in a tighter ball and falling asleep again.

Bella straddled my lap, burying her face in my neck. I wrapped my arms around her, closing my eyes. She pulled back, placing her hands on each side of my face. "I love you, handsome," she smiled, tilting her head at me.

"I love you too," I smiled, looking up at her.

As I really looked at her, passed her still stunning beauty and deep brown eyes, I saw my love reflected back to me. She was everything to me. She kept me sane, happy, and grounded. She was the mother to my children and my best friend. I may have not had the courage at twelve to admit that I loved her, but I had. I had loved her my whole life. Despite the time we were apart, the busy lives we now had, and the meager alone time we had, we were still completely in love.

"What will we do with all this time alone?" I teased, smirking at her.

She turned slightly, looking over in the corner at the chaise from my Chicago apartment. It had survived the three kids and Charlie. She smirked back at me with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, I have plans," she purred, leaning in closer and rubbing her nose along my jaw line.

"You do?" I asked, kissing her neck just below her ear, my tongue snaking out to taste her.

"Mmhm," she smiled against my skin, taking my earlobe in her mouth. "I think you can catch up quickly, Edward." I nodded at her, smiling as I lifted her shirt over her head.

I growled, looking at the black and purple bra underneath. "You went shopping," I crooned, not able to resist touching her. She laughed, her head tilting back. I chuckled with her, reaching over to turn on the stereo. The groan that escaped her was just about my undoing. _"Nice and Slow"_ by Usher wafted through the room.

I picked her up, laying her on the chaise and settling between her legs. "You're everything to me…did you know?" I asked, knowing it was the same thing I asked the first time we had made love to this song.

"Yes, baby," she nodded, wrapping her arms and legs around me. "I know." She didn't have to say it back to me. I knew it. I saw it every day in the way that she loved me, her family and our children.

"Thank you for saving me," I smiled, watching as tears came to her eyes and she bit her bottom lip.

"Always," she smiled, pulling me to her. "Thank you for saving me back."

**A/N…Ok, there it is…I take it back…I'm really sad it's over, but I will just pour myself into the next thing. I really hope you liked it. From all your begging and pleading to keep it going, I would think so. I'm sorry it's not continuing for you.**

**I really have to thank Brits23...with everything she is writing on her own, she's still able to help me with this and take on the sequel to Broken Angel. I hope she knows how much she rocks! Love ya!!!!! And if you haven't read Show and Don't Tell or Laid Bare…you are truly missing out! **

**Ok…Angel's Embrace…it's under way…Brits will be getting the first chapter tonight, so it will be posted in the next few days…have patience…I will post alerts everywhere. **

**Oh…one thing…I mentioned ADHD in the last chapter and I received an anonymous review about it. Ok…there was no harm intended and it was one entire sentence. However, I live with an ADULT with ADHD and it's sometimes like living with an insane person…so yeah…I get it too. We just choose to laugh about it… I have no problem apologizing for something written wrong. My bad…**

**I really look forward to seeing you guys read Angel's Embrace…it has been really…sickeningly fun, actually…stepping back into that story…so, please come along. OH! And I have had the question asked of me…the answer is YES…ABSOLUTELY…you must read Broken Angel first. I know it's long, but there are events, characters that I have created, and jokes that will come back to haunt the new story. I hope you read it…you have time…**

**Now…review for my little Island folk for the last time…and know that I loved all that reviewed before…Thanks for coming along with me to my home state. Writing about Florida was fantastic! LOL**

**Love you all…see you soon…**


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